Compel Your Black Eyes
by sky tulips
Summary: saving you and saving me ※ fai is cursed with sickness and kurogane is sick of curses. every world has a boundary. can they pull through them together? kurogane/fai
1. I  Immunity

**Compel Your Black Eyes**

**Take 1**

**Immunity**

**1**

"Does it ever stop raining in this place?" Kurogane grumbled, tightening his scarf around his neck.

"Kuro-tan," Fai sighed, "I have asked you so many times now, why don't you just come share my umbrella?"

"Yeah, right, that won't look stupid," Kurogane stated blankly.

"Well," Fai started, "Its better than being soaked through. Your hair looks a little silly when it gets wet,"

"What do you care?" Kurogane asked rhetorically.

"You could at least walk next to me, Kuro-sama." Fai said with the hint of a whine in his voice.

"I would," said Kurogane gruffly, "But you walk so damn slow,"

Fai sniffed, "You just stomp everywhere! You're no good!"

Kurogane rolled his eyes but slowed his pace.

-

The country was small. Small, grey and boring.

It was a fisherman's town tied together by old and crumbling cobblestone alleys, bending, polluted rivers and mud-infested banks. The people were grumpy and secretive, they kept themselves to themselves and rarely left the house unless it was to go down to the docks for a fish. The sky was blackened during the day, even the patented rain looked like it was dabbled in ash. The sound of boats and calls rang in the air, along with the raspy coughs of the inhabitants. They lived on fish. They had fish every morning, afternoon and evening along with a tankard of ale and were happy until morning when they were back to their usual grumbling selves.

Since they had arrived in the world, it had not seemed to stop raining. It rained heavily during the day, leaving voluminous puddles along the grimy alleyways and in the night it pattered constantly at the hotel windows, keeping Fai awake.

Fai sighed, staring up at the sky.

"You're slowing down _again_!" Kurogane snapped.

"Weather really reflects mood, hmm?" Fai smiled, "We're all so down. I wish the sun would come out and motivate us!"

"Great, now can we move it along? It's still raining and the kids are waiting," Kurogane said.

"It's not that late, Kuro-puu," Fai pointed over at the docks, "Fisherman-san is still casting the net!"

"Yeah, like they do every second of every day in this place." Kurogane said in a bored voice.

"Fisherman-san!" Fai beamed, waving in the direction of the docks.

The few fishermen turned to stare at Fai who was twirling around a rainbow umbrella.

"Well," said Kurogane, "_They _seem amused,"

"Have you caught much?" Fai smiled.

"No, not today," the old, hooded fisherman rasped, "Not much today,"

"Oh," said Fai, "Well, better luck tomorrow!"

The fishermen nodded, but exchanged looks between themselves.

Fai started to waltz away but something was bothering Kurogane.

The water was greyer than ever. It could have just been all of that ashen rain that had been falling continuously, but something was different. No wonder the fishermen had caught nothing, there were no fish in the water. When they first arrived, fish had flitted around the rivers like silver dashes, but now, the water just looked empty and dirty.

Kurogane shrugged and began to follow Fai down the alleyway, away from the hushed mumbling the fishermen exchanged in secret.

-

"Welcome back, did you buy much?" Sakura asked.

Kurgane held up a tattered bag,

"Fish," he muttered.

"That's not all!" Fai smiled, "We bought more umbrellas for everybody, we bought some extra sheets for the beds and we got some loaves of bread!"

"What are we going to have to drink?" asked Syaoran.

"Alcohol! Alcohol!" chorused Mokona, bouncing upon Syaoran's head.

"Hmm," Fai smiled, "We picked up some ale, but besides that there was only water,"

"Oh well," Sakura smiled, "It's better than nothing,"

Fai nodded and glanced to the window.

"Has the rain cleared up at all?" asked Syaoran.

"Not even close," grumbled Kurogane, stacking the water bottles along the shelves.

"This rain," Syaoran said, "I heard some women talking, they say its unnatural for it to go on so long,"

"Hmm? Not for a town next to the sea," said Kurogane.

"Even so," Syaoran went on, "They say it's been almost two weeks now, raining like that, all day and all night. Don't you think that's strange?"

"Its okay, Syaoran-kun," Fai smiled, "It's only rain, I don't think there's anything wrong."

Sakura nodded in agreement.

-

It was around midnight that the storm began.

After the first, rumbling thunderclap, silence hovered a moment before a more violent on broke it. The first flash of lightning from outside the window compelled Kurogane to draw back the curtains.

Sure enough, the clouds were darkened and the thunder was crashing in time with the jagged lightning patterns that hit the edges of the seaside cliffs.

"Woah," Kurogane muttered, "This place is really falling apart,"

He looked at where Fai was sleeping in hope of a response.

But Fai was curled up with his hands blocking his ears.

He hadn't heard him.

-

-

-

**2**

"Good morning everyone!" Fai gushed, "Does the search for the feather start today, Syaoran-kun?"

"Yeah, straight after breakfast, Kurogane-san and I are checking out the market and the coves on the coast. We should check in the fishermen's district too. We were wondering if you and Sakura-hime would take a look along the riverbanks?" Syaoran explained while serving out the morning tea.

"Ah! Syaoran-kun, you're so good at planning!" Fai smiled.

Kurogane looked across the table at Fai, who was in the middle of stretching his arms towards the sugar.

"Hey-" he began, but was interrupted when Sakura ran through the door.

"Good morning! I'm so sorry I overslept," she breathed.

"Don't worry," Syaoran smiled, "I cooked breakfast this morning,"

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she gushed, "It was my turn and I was the last one sleeping,"

"That's not true! Mokona was still sleeping," Mokona cried while flitting into the room, "Good morning Kuro-pippi!" it said, perching itself upon Kurogane's head.

"Did everyone hear the thunder and lightning last night?" Sakura said, sitting down with a slice of bread, "Every time I was drifting off to sleep it clashed outside of the window and I shot straight back up!"

"You're afraid of thunder?" Kurogane asked, but half directed the question towards Fai.

"Not really," Sakura smiled, "It was just very loud,"

Fai prodded his bread with his fork and then smiled.

"You're so brave, Sakura-chan!" he said.

Kurogane raised an eyebrow.

-

"Sakura-hime, do you have your umbrella? It's still raining you know,"

"Yes, I have it, what about you Kurogane-san?"

"Don't need one,"

"Kuro-puppy is going to get wet!"

"Yes! Yes! Kuro-puppy the big wet dog!"

"You two better cut that out!"

"Yes, sir!"

"No, sir! Three bags full sir!"

"Ah ha ha ha!"

"Shut up!"

-

-

-

**3**

Fai rolled up his sleeves and kept close to Sakura's side.

"I love the smell of the sea!" he smiled, "It's so much different from next to the docks,"

Sakura nodded, "It's nice to get away from the fishing town,"

"Its too bad it's still raining," Fai said lightly, "Please come out Mr Sun!"

"Fai-san?" Sakura began, "Shouldn't we be checking out the riverbanks like Syaoran-kun said?"

"Hmm? We should indeed, but I wanted to see the sea before we left," Fai said, "It's still grey and murky, but it smells of the sea."

Sakura picked up a pebble and threw it in the water where it landed with a satisfied 'plop'.

Fai laughed at the look of determination on her face as she threw again.

"It's no good!" Sakura said, after her sixth attempt, "I can't do it,"

Fai handed her a clear white pebble,

"Throw it a little harder," he explained, "And rotate your hand a little as you throw,"

The pebble glided across the water's grey surface, making tiny ripples as it skimmed the water. It seemed to last for ages. Just a flying white outline as it disappeared into the waves.

The surface of the water was getting darker. The rain clouds that had been on constant move had finally made their way over to the beach.

"It's getting heavier!" Sakura cried.

It was getting much heavier. Tenser and sharper, like stinging needles. These were no longer the drizzles like dewdrops on a flower petal, this was the tense feeling in the sky just before a storm.

Fai looked up at the storm clouds. He knew what would happen soon, and the rainfall was numbing the edges of his skin.

"We have to find shelter!" he said hurriedly.

The first roll of thunder began and he crouched down instinctively, grabbing her shoulders, "We have to find shelter, Sakura-chan!" he cried, "Can you see anywhere?"

Sakura looked up at the looming sky and then all around, her eyes reaching a hollow cave in the side of the cliff. She pointed across the beach to the cave.

"There," she shouted.

Fai grabbed her dripping hand and ran.

The air began to moan.

-

Fai's breath was like iced powder on the cave wall.

"Are you..." he began, "Are you okay?"

He saw her nod through the darkness, "Let's just stay here until it stops," she said.

He crouched down beside the jagged rocks as the thunder crashed and roared outside.

"Are you okay, Fai-san?" she asked, crouching down opposite him.

He raised his head and smiled but said nothing.

"I hope Syaoran-kun and Kurogane-san are okay, do you think they went home?" she asked.

Fai nodded.

"Should we not go home?" she asked desperately, "It could get much worse and we could be blocked in here by the tide soon,"

Fai's head shot up, "Stuck?" he repeated.

"Fai-san-" she began.

"I'm okay, don't worry about me," he started.

But he was not okay, he was shaking and he was clearly soaked to the bone. Each time the thunder began he would flinch and cradle himself closer.

Sakura looked cautiously out of the opening of the cave entrance, "Fai-san, shouldn't we hurry home quickly before the lightning begins?"

"I can't," he breathed, "I need to stay here. I need to stay here until it's completely over."

Sakura's eyes widened, "But-"

"Please, Sakura-chan, don't make me go outside."

-

-

**4**

Fai's hair was stuck clammily to his forehead and his clothes were completely immersed with rainwater, clinging to his thin frame.

Sakura traced a hand around the stones and stood at the cave entrance.

The sky outside was eclipsed in darkness and the beach and surroundings were completely deserted. She turned and looked at Fai, who, despite smiling, was still clutching his knees. 'What should I do?' she thought desperately, 'Every minute the water is growing closer to the edge of the sand and then we'll be stuck here! What if this cave fills completely with water? What if we drown? What should I do? If Syaoran-kun was here, he's know what to do, and if Kurogane-san were here, he'd be able to help Fai-san, I need to think!'

Sakura was practically standing at the water's edge now, trying desperately not to cry, when, reflected in the water's surface was a flash of white light.

She flinched back and ran back into the cave.

"Was it lightning?" Fai called.

Sakura nodded her head.

"We need to get out of here," she said, "Fai-san! We have to leave!"

Fai stayed rooted to the spot.

"Please," she begged, "Please come with me," She began tugging on his wet clothes.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly.

She stared at him for a moment, before running to the cave entrance.

"I'll bring Kurogane-san!" she cried, before running out into the rain.

"Sakura-chan!" Fai shouted after her, "Don't go out there alone! It's too dangerous!"

But she had already reached the sand's surface.

-

Sakura ran through the alleyways until she reached the hotel.

"Kurogane-san!" she cried out, "Syaoran-kun!"

"Sakura!" Syaoran shouted, forgetting the formality in relief she was back. "You're okay,"

Sakura nodded, "Where is Kurogane-san?" she asked.

"He's in the kitchen, but, where is Fai-san?" Syaoran asked.

"He's stuck in a cave at the beach and he refuses to come out!" Sakura cried, "We need to go get him before he's stuck in there by the tide."

"He let you come here all alone! What if you were hurt!" Syaoran cried out.

"Fai-san," Sakura said softly, "He's afraid of the storm."

Kurogane stomped out onto the doorstep,

"What's going on?" he growled, "Where's that damn mage?"

Sakura grabbed Kurogane's hand and pulled him to follow her.

"We have to go help him!"

-

-

**5**

Fai stared out at the ocean, the thunder still rolled above him, but it was growing softer. The air had since grown eerily still. The rain fell lighter, collapsing like forlorn tears before reducing to nothing at the sea's surface.

He edged closer to the entrance, but the water got deeper towards the hole in the wall. He looked around at the secluded beach. How was he supposed to get home?

-

"In there," Sakura said, pointing over to the opening in the cliff, but stopped, "The tide has already surpassed it! How are we supposed to get in? What if he's drowning?"

Kurogane put his hand on her head, "Don't panic." he said calmly, "I won't let him die,"

Sakura nodded, "But how-?"

Kurogane stared at the water and then at the cliff.

"Hmm," he said, looking darkly across, making his judgements, "It won't pass my chest at most. I doubt it'll come up to my waist,"

"You-" Sakura started.

"I guess I've got to don't I?" Kurogane said, "That guy, he always makes things so difficult,"

-

"Hey,"

"Kuro-tan?" Fai asked.

"Yeah, who do you think?" Kurogane said, raising an eyebrow.

"You came for me!" Fai exclaimed, "Where are you? I wanna give you a hug!"

"Then I'm glad it's dark," Kurogane said, but Fai sensed the hint of kindness in his voice.

"How did you get in here? How will we get out?" Fai asked.

"I waded across the sea," Kurogane mumbled, glad the darkened cave could hide his blushing, "And I'll help you wade back,"

"What?" Fai said, "But I'm already soaked through! Won't you carry me, Kuro-muu?"

"No way!" Kurogane snapped, "I'm already soaked through too!"

"The storm," Fai said faintly, "It's over?"

"Yeah," Kurogane stated, "It's drizzling rain again now,"

"I see," Fai smiled.

"You're really scared of it, aren't you?" Kurogane asked.

"I don't like it," Fai said, "Th- Forget it."

"Tell me." Kurogane persisted.

"It's not important, Kuro-wan," Fai said.

Kurogane glared at Fai, "You don't trust me enough to talk to me?"

"It's not that-" Fai began, but stopped silent.

"Next time, why don't you just face your fear?" Kurogane said calmly, "Instead of running away, you should meet it head on. That way, none of us have to worry about you,"

Fai nodded.

"I can sit through it if you hold my hand," he smiled lightly.

Kurogane didn't reply.

"You'll hold my hand next time, right, Kuro-tan?" Fai persisted, but still received no reply. "Please! That's the only way I'll get through it without shaking and being sad! If you hold my hand I'll feel safe and won't feel lonely. Will you? Will you?"

"Okay! I'll hold your damn hand!" Kurogane shouted.

"Waaaiii!" Fai smiled. "Let's go! You need to carry me through the sea!"

"I'm not carrying you!"

-

-

-

The rain calmed down as night drew in. There was no more thunder until a few mild disturbances in the night.

Kurogane looked over at Fai. The mage was sleeping.

Even so, Kurogane took Fai's hand in his own.

He held it tight.

It fitted there perfectly.


	2. II Immunity II

**A/N :**

I know its soon. I only uploaded the first chapter yesterday, but recently, I've been bitten by the writing bug and have been compelled to write and write. Ah-ha! Compelled. So I had a lot of ideas and they were all wrote down, and twenty-four hours later the next chapter is ready! How did that happen? Haha. The next one will probably take some time because that's the silly way I am, but I'll get started on it tomorrow hopefully.

Thank you all for your reviews! They mean so much to me and I'm really happy you enjoy my writing.

Now let's get the show on the road.

**Compel Your Black Eyes**

**Take 2**

**Immunity II**

**1**

Sakura twirled her umbrella round in her hand.

"I'm glad Fai-san was okay," she smiled.

Syaoran nodded.

"He even apologized for making me worry so much. But I should really apologize for leaving him there all alone," she said sadly.

Syaoran looked at her fondly.

Sakura was distracted however by a gathering of people bustling outside the town's doctor's surgery.

"What's going on?" she said lightly to Syaoran.

"I don't know," Syaoran asked, handing her the basket of bread and tea leaves, "I'll go ask,"

"Excuse me-"

But everyone was too wrapped up in their frenzy.

"Travellers!" the woman next to him cried, shoving her bony finger in his face.

"Travellers!" she repeated, "I'll bet _they_ dragged it in!"

Syaoran stared at her bewildered. She glared at him.

"Not so fast, Esre, the rain began almost a week before they arrived," the man next to her explained.

"What's going on?" Syaoran asked.

"We've found out the reason for all this unnatural weather." The man explained, "The way it has never stopped raining, the ash-blackened rain, the murky water and all of our fish and animals perishing!"

Syaoran nodded, ushering the man to say more.

"It's an epidemic!" the man cried, "This whole country is to be hit by a plague! Those who aren't immune need to leave now! That is, unless they've already caught it-"

"Caught what?" Sakura asked impatiently, yet worriedly.

There was something strange about the opacity of the man's eyes.

"maladie d'ombre," the man breathed in what was just more than a whisper, before joining in again with the rabble outside the surgery door.

Syaoran looked at Sakura,

"Do you feel okay?" he asked, placing his hands on her shoulders.

"I think so," Sakura said.

Syaoran looked at the crowd of people, all caught up worrying about themselves.

"We need to learn more about this sickness," he said. Sakura nodded.

-

For once since they'd came, the dock was practically empty. The fishing boats and nets lay abandoned on the wood and on the banks and the only sound was from the 'town meeting' that was going on up ahead. Syaoran looked at the food he'd bought that lay in the basket, was it safe to eat? Would they all become infected with the sickness?

He was unsure though, he felt fine and had been eating all week. How was it passed on?

"You don't have the sickness," came a grumble from the left.

Syaoran turned and saw the hooded fisherman who had been the only one to welcome them to the town.

"If you aren't ill by now, chances are that you're immune to it. Its a common disease all around. Everyone in this town is practically immune to it but they're still getting into a panic and fuss," the fisherman shook his head.

Syaoran reflected on what he had said. 'Maladie d'ombre' didn't sound familiar to him, but maybe it had a different name in different places.

"Could you tell me some of the symptoms please?" Syaoran asked.

The man nodded, "First of all is the paleness. This disease reflects monochrome. Your skin flares white while your eyes begin to darken. Blacken really. Your vision blurs and your senses numb. You can eat, but food will seem practically tasteless. That is the beginning. Then, the coughing begins. Long, raspy coughs. Dry and painful as your throat turns raw. Like the eyes, it almost seems as if the lungs blacken. After that, its hard. The person usually slips away. They may grow tired and find it hard to move - its a slow decay. This sickness rarely leaves survivors," he explained, and then let out a dark chuckle.

Syaoran was horrified by the details of the sickness and held onto Sakura's hand. "Why are you laughing?"

"I'm sorry," the fisherman said, "Its just, last time the sickness came, everyone thought whoever caught it was doomed for fatality. That is, until I got through it."

"You survived?" Syaoran asked.

"Barely," the fisherman rasped, "I was left with this,"

The man slowly drew back his hood, showing his blackened eyes. They looked like they'd been burnt; Charcoal like and clouded.

"I'm practically blind," he finished, before pulling up his ragged cloak hood, "That is why I said the sickness rarely leaves survivors,"

"I'm-" Sakura said softly, "I'm sorry,"

"Well, how about it?" the man said gruffly, "Was there a sickness such as that where you came from?"

Syaoran looked at Sakura.

"It sounds a little bit like the shadow disease," Sakura said, "The blackened eyes and blackened lungs, Toya told me about such a plague, but it happened in our country a long time ago,"

"Well," the fisherman replied, "That sounds about right, that means the immunity was passed on through generations and will be why you are still healthy,"

Sakura smiled faintly, "I hope you're right,"

-

-

-

**2**

"Why do you walk so slow?" Kurogane snapped.

"Why do _you_ walk so fast?" Fai replied sleepily, "You should relax and take in the surroundings,"

"Why would I want to do that?" Kurogane said roughly, "All I see is fish, rain, fish, fish and rain."

"The beach was quite nice," Fai smiled lightly, "That is, as long as you aren't trapped there in a thunderstorm,"

Kurogane said nothing and tilted his head to the side, "Where is everybody, anyway?" he asked.

Fai coughed lightly, "I'm not sure, maybe they're all still asleep," he said slowly.

"Maybe _you _should be still asleep," Kurogane said blankly, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Fai said, smiling, "Don't worry about me, I'm just a little-"

He stopped, rubbing his head.

"You look pale," Kurogane stated, "Maybe you caught a cold being out in the rain all day,"

"I'm sure it's nothing," Fai smiled, beginning to walk again, "Lets go home Kuro-tan,"

-

The hotel was a rickety old house with a set of black ironed fencing. The fencing was designed so it curled up like flame-like coils and then meshed in with the crooked door. This was also painted and chipping off black paint. The most elegant thing about it was the copper door-knocker which was shaped like a leaf, but even that was highly corroded.

The back of the hotel was situated in on of the many alleys of the town. It was overrun with puddles where the rain fell between the cracks of the hotel roofs and it was also a little way away from the railway station, which meant that any smoke that poured from the doors would drift its' way down to the hotel front and up the old staircase.

Kurogane never imagined he'd have to carry Fai all the way up these stairs.

But the magician's drowsiness got the better of him.

"I feel- dizzy, Kuro-puu," Fai said faintly while reaching out for Kurogane's arm.

"What?" Kurogane grumbled, "This better not be some stupid scheme to make me carry you,"

Fai didn't reply and looked about ready to fall, so Kurogane rolled his eyes and threw Fai carefully over his shoulder, before climbing the iron staircase.

Fai coughed over his shoulder.

"You're getting your germs everywhere! Cover your mouth when you cough!" Kurogane snapped, but Fai didn't even have a quirky comeback ready.

"We're home," Kurogane stated gruffly as he walked through the crooked door.

"Fai-san!" Sakura exclaimed, "What's wrong with him?"

"He felt a little dizzy," Kurogane said, placing the sleeping Fai on the comfy chair, "Probably off being in that rain all day yesterday,"

Sakura ran over to Fai with a woven patchwork blanket, "This should keep him-" she gasped a little.

"What's wrong?" Syaoran asked.

"He looks pale," Sakura said slowly, "What if-?" she turned to Syaoran in panic.

"What if what?" Kurogane asked commandingly.

"There's," Syaoran started, "There's a sickness upon this country,"

Kurogane surveyed Syaoran to sit with him.

He began to tell him everything he'd learned as Sakura stared at Fai's darkened eyes.

-

-

-

-

**3**

"I feel better today!" Fai exclaimed, stretching up to the ceiling, "All I needed was a good night's sleep I think!"

Sakura looked at him worriedly and then nodded slightly before getting back to the breakfast.

"How are you, Kuro-rin?" Fai smiled, sitting next to the ninja.

The truth was, Kurogane had been watching over Fai for most of the night, but he wasn't sure whether to say that.

"Merrgh," he said.

"Merrgh!" Fai giggled, "What's Merrgh?"

"Shut up," Kurogane said, turning around.

"Don't turn away from me! Kuro-puppy!" Fai said in half a whine.

"Merrgh! Merrgh!" Mokona laughed, poking Kurogane in the cheek.

"Will you leave me alone?" Kurogane yelled, stomping off out of the kitchen.

"Oh dear, Kuro-tan isn't very happy this morning," Fai smiled, "What's wrong Sakura-chan?"

Sakura stopped short. Should she tell him?

It wasn't as easy as, "_Fai-san, we think you're terribly sick and Kurogane is desperately working out what to do,"_

"He's just-" Sakura started but was interrupted as Syaoran walked in.

"Good morning," he yawned.

"Good morning Syaoran-kun!" Fai beamed, "Are we off to hunt for the feather today?"

Syaoran looked at Fai surprised, but then he smiled and nodded.

"Am I to be partnered with Kuro-bun again?" Fai asked, "He hates how I walk at my own pace!"

"I can walk at your pace Fai!" Mokona smiled, nudging Fai on the cheek.

"Yay!" Fai said in glee, "So Mokona and I are partners today? Where are we off to in the rain?"

"Well, Kurogane and I are going to check out the highest coves of the mountain where the lightning is most common," Syaoran said, "You can look anywhere you can find a lead, but-"

Fai blinked, "But what?"

"Don't you want to stay in bed?" Syaoran asked.

Fai was silent for a moment, "I think-"

"You stay home," Kurogane commanded, patting Fai on the head.

"What? But-" Fai began.

"No buts, you're still drowsy and ill, even though you're trying to hide it, and besides, the princess can't stay home by herself all day,"

Fai shivered and coughed lightly, "Whatever you say,"

-

Syaoran braved the cliffs alone as Kurogane had gone to speak with the doctor.

Fai was his main worry, but the feather was also on his mind. They'd been in the town for over a week and still had no leads. The only unnatural thing was the weather and that was because of the epidemic in the air, or so the townspeople thought. Syaoran hoped Kurogane could talk to the doctor and find out what was wrong with Fai, but, somewhere in his mind, he had a sickening feeling something was very wrong.

Fai had gotten pale. His skin was whiter than usual, and the skin around his eyes had become very dark. Not only that, but last night as he tried to sleep, he could hear Fai coughing and rasping heavily through his sleep. That pointed him in one direction. Maladie d'ombre.

Although, it couldn't be could it? Surely Fai was immune. Everyone was. Kurogane said it plagued Japan a lot but never killed because everyone had history of it in their family lines.

But maybe, just maybe, Fai's country had never been hit.

Syaoron shook his head. He shouldn't think so negatively. Fai was going to be okay. They'd find the feather and leave this world behind. It was merely the rain and the coldness that were having an effect on Fai.

The cliff was crumbling.

Just like everything else in this world.

But the view from the top was amazing. It wasn't necessarily beautiful, but it was wide and vast and perfect for looking around.

The sea looked even darker and dirtier from a height. Again, there were no signs of life. The sea and rivers branching off from it looked completely empty - the fish must've gotten out when they first noticed signs of infection.

He stared up at the clouds. They were still so dark and foreboding, not even bringing a touch of white purity to the blotched grey-stained sky. The drizzling rain shower left drips on his goggles. There were only a few coves and openings at the top of the cliff and each one seemed as dark and corroded as the others. It wasn't a matter of choice, he just had to take them all.

Feathers and memories. It was strange to think she'd never know him like she used to.

Did that memory of him form into a feather too? Or did it simply fade away?

If it was out there, where had it gone? Where do all the unattainable objects go?

Maybe it was hovering somewhere non-existent.

He wiped his forehead and climbed the rocks.

Some questions would always be left unanswered.

-

-

-

-

**4**

"There's no cure?"

"None that we know of."

"No way to prevent it?"

"Not even in the very early stages."

"What if the person left this world? Would the diseased remain?"

"I don't know what you mean,"

"Like, if they left the world. Would the sickness go?"

"If they... uhm... die?"

"No! If they travelled away."

"Even if you travel, the sickness would remain."

"Do you have anything helpful to say at all? Can't you help him in any way?!"

"No... I'm afraid not."

"Then what am I supposed to do?!"

"Don't give up hope sir. There is... possibility, yes, possibility he could survive,"

"Just because one person in this stupid town overcame it?"

"I'm afraid that's all I can say."

"But-"

"Please, leave the surgery, you're causing a scene, sir,"

"I'll cause a scene then! I'm not leaving till I know how the hell I can help him!"

"There is no way!"

Silence.

-

-

-

-

**5**

Fai coughed. His throat felt raw and dry and every cough felt rough and sharp. He rubbed his eyes and blinked. Perhaps he was just tired, but his vision was slightly blurring.

It was thundering lightly outside.

And he began to feel strangely lonely.

-

"Hey,"

Fai opened his eyes and then closed them again.

"I need to talk to you,"

"Kuro-p-"

"Shh," Kurogane hushed him, "Sit up,"

Fai sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes tenderly.

"Listen," Kurogane began, but stopped.

Fai stared at him lightly, his eyes wavering like charred sapphires.

"You," Kurogane started again, "You're not very well," he finished.

To Kurogane's disbelief, Fai didn't smile and pretend he was okay, he sighed, and breathed, "I know,"

"You do?" Kurogane asked, brushing a lock of Fai's hair out of his face.

"There was something I could sense in the weather," Fai murmured lightly.

Kurogane looked at Fai helplessly, "I'm trying," he began, but cut his sentance short.

Fai looked at him in bittersweet complacency.

"You shouldn't try to help me," Fai whispered, "In fact, you should have left me to drown in that cave,"

Kurogane looked at Fai with the hint of shock on his face, and then his gaze deepened to a glare.

"Don't say that," he said roughly, "Don't say stuff like that. Sure, you can waste away your life the way you want, but never act like you don't value it. You have to value your life."

Fai remained silent and looked away.

"Hey," Kurogane persisted, "I know your game. You tell yourself that being alone is okay, but really, when you see people together, you're envious of them, aren't you? You don't get close to people because then you wouldn't be able to hide behind your loneliness,"

Fai looked at Kurogane and smiled, "Then why are you trying to save me?"

"I'm trying to save you," Kurogane said, growing loser to Fai, "Because I haven't given up on you,"

Fai blinked. They were close. Much too close.

And little by little, their lips began to touch and collide.

-

-

-

-

**6**

Sakura gazed out the window longingly. Syaoran still hadn't returned and the storm was getting stronger.

The sky was a collision of light and sound and she didn't even stop to think.

Was it possible for the heavens to hold onto a memory?

-

Syaoran slipped again on the surface of the rocks. He held onto his grazed arm and looked around but there was nothing. It was still primarily an empty hollow of a cave and there were no leads on Sakura's memory.

Occasionally, there would be disturbance round the rock surface of the cave, hearing the thunder then feeling the slight vibration, Syaoran assumed it was the lightning hitting off the cliff edge. It was getting late too, there was no longer light coming from the cave entrance which meant it had to be getting darker outside.

He flinched as the cave floor shook slightly. But there was something happening each time the lightning struck. Syaoran waited, casting his senses around the cave, and then it happened. A lightning flash and low rumble of thunder and within the darkened cave, a light began to flicker, no bigger than a candle flame.

It flickered out when the thunder died down and then appeared again in a different place when it picked up.

"Maybe," Syaoran whispered, "Maybe it has something to do with Sakura-hime's feather,"

-

-

-

-

**7**

"We shouldn't do this," Kurogane mumbled, cupping Fai's chin and pushing it away.

"Why not?" Fai asked, bringing himself closer again.

"_It's stupid. It's dangerous. It's guaranteed one of us will get hurt in the end. Eventually, we'd have to part our separate ways and then-" _Kurogane searched for an answer.

"We just can't," he said bluntly with a quickening sense of finality in his voice, "We have duties. You are you and I am me. Together we would be an _us_,"

"What's wrong with being an us?" Fai said quietly, looping his hands around Kurogane's neck.

"Lots of things," Kurogane muttered, "_For one, _you _don't want it._" he thought.

"Then," Fai said, his blackened eyes falling into Kurogane's, "Can't we be nobody?"

He kissed his cheek affectionately.

"Let's be nobody. And let us be nowhere," he whispered, his lips brushing the side of Kurogane's cheek.

"But, we have-" Kurogane began.

"No," Fai said, "We are nobody. We have no duties. We have no secrets. We are two people and we are nowhere."

Fai slowly fell in for the kiss and their lips brushed again. He wrapped his arms around the man in front of him and pressed harder against his lips.

Kurogane began to protest.

"No," Fai said, breaking the kiss, "Remember what I said. We are nobody. Just for tonight. Let us be nowhere,"

"But-"

"Just for tonight," Fai repeated.

Kurogane kissed him again, pulling him closer and tightening the clasp he had on Fai's hands, he nodded.

"Tonight," Fai breathed against Kurogane's cheek, "Nowhere is our world,"


	3. III  Miracle

**Disclaimer** Tsubasa and characters (c) CLAMP

**A/N : **Thanks to all reviewers for your responses. They really make me happy. And this is a story I really enjoy writing. I hope it stays with me a long time and I hope eveyone will read it for a long time! This is actually the longest chapter, although it feels quite short. There's a lot of dialogue in this chapter. The story moves along too. The next one will be uploaded as soon as its done, but for now, please enjoy chapter three! Lavender wine is waiting in the review room when you're finished.

* * *

**Compel Your Black Eyes**

**Take 3**

**Miracle**

**1**

_"I'm dying. From the inside."_

It was such a quiet and simplistic whisper.

Kurogane wasn't even sure if he'd truly heard it.

Kurogane sighed and ran a finger down Fai's whitened cheek.

-

-

-

"I think-

-

I think I'm falling..."

-

-

**2**

Fai tugged weakly on Kurogane's clothes.

"Where are you going?" he asked, his voice sounding hopelessly ground down.

"I need to go and see someone," Kurogane replied.

Fai's smile was wearing thin, "What you said..." he said faintly

Kurogane turned and looked at Fai, "What?"

"What you said- about valuing my life. I mean, I thought about it." Fai said, his eyes fervently avoiding Kurogane's, "I just want to say, that if you haven't given up on me yet, I'll try to hold on too, I- I swear I won't give in. If I refuse to let this hurt me, can we fight this sickness together?"

Kurogane looked down at Fai as he brushed a hand through his hair.

"I know you type," Kurogane said softly, "You're the type of person who'll constantly tell themselves that they're okay. The trick themselves into believing being alone is fine. They tell themselves they're happier alone. That's you, isn't it?"

Fai shuffled the bed covers around his arms, "Sometimes," he breathed, looking away.

"But, the thing about these people is, whenever they see people together - friends, families, couples, they still think 'Why can't I have that too?' - It's all about denial. If you want someone beside you, you should say so. Before they fall out of your reach."Kurogane said gruffly.

Fai contemplated a moment, between few raspy coughs, he eventually smiled sadly. "I'm a wandering delusion," he said, "Is really all I can say,"

Kurogane slammed his hands down in front of Fai and leaned over the bed. "This isn't a game," he said slowly and heavily.

"I know," Fai whispered, almost as slow, "And when I'm better-" he trailed off, "_If_ I ever get better,"

Kurogane's gaze darkened, "You just said you refuse to give in."

Fai smiled, finally turning to look at Kurogane, "That's right, so what should I do?"

"You," Kurogane said, standing up straight and moving towards the door, "You stay here. I'm going to see someone,"

Fai's eyes widened slightly, "You're-"

Kurogane held up a hand, "Stop it. I don't want thanks or anything." he muttered darkly, before moving out of the room.

Fai stared at the tail of Kurogane's black coat as it glided out the door. The door clicked shut and Fai sunk back down into the bed, clutching his chest. He could not work out what was hurting the most. The infection that was stinging and growing from the inside, or the fact that his heart suddenly felt heavy.

Before he had gone to sleep, he felt a flutter, but Kurogane had left the room without a backwards glance and disappeared like a passing summer breeze. Fai sighed. True, Kurogane was going to see someone about a cure, but Fai couldn't help feel that Kurogane wasn't trying to save him at all. It was almost as if he was looking past him at someone else. Someone Fai couldn't quite put his finger on.

-

-

"Kuro-puu," Mokona said, "If you want to talk to Yuko, Mokona can run an image,"

"I don't want to _talk _to her," Kurogane insisted, "I need to speak to her,"

Mokona sighed and shook it's white head, "If you say so, Kuro-tan, but she may not be willing to listen,"

Kurogane nodded as Mokona began to tilt back it's head and open it's wide mouth. Kurogane held up his arm and prepared to be sucked into the dimension witch's home.

Kurogane tumbled into the shop entrance. It was exactly as he had remembered. Valuables and strange artifacts cluttering the shelves and decorative tables. It was empty, and from the silence, Kurogane could tell it wasn't raining. It had been so long since he'd set foot in a place where the patter of rain wasn't heard on every street and at every window. Kurogane didn't know whether he should wait until the witch came out or if he should call for her. He really had to get this over with quickly. Fai wasn't exactly getting better by the second.

"Hey," he called, lurking near the shop counter, "Are you there?"

"Here,"

Kurogane whipped round to see the witch smiling. "Kurogane," she remembered, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Kurogane folded his arms, "I want something,"

"Aaaah," Yuko said, gliding to the stockroom door, her long skirts parachuting along the floor, "What do you need?"

"The world we are in now," Kurogane began, "Has a sickness in it. The kids and I are immune to it, but-"

"Fai-san is not." Yuko concluded on her own, her eyelids flickered and she looked at Kurogane, "And you want a cure."

Kurogane stared at her, wondering what she was thinking.

"What disease is it?" she asked.

"Maladie D'Ombre." Kurogane said.

Yuko nodded in contemplation, "The shadow sickness. It decays a person from the inside out. Am I right?"

Kurogane nodded.

"And," Yuko added, "It's incurable."

Kurogane shuffled slightly, "But you must-"

"I do," Yuko said, "Have a potion that cures anything. But only one."

"And I've got to pay a price," Kurogane said darkly, knowing the outcome.

Yuko smiled faintly and disappeared into the back room. She brought back a shiny jade coloured tin; cylindrical and with an intricate pattern around the sides.

"This is it," she said, placing it on the counter. "This is the only one I've got for incurable diseases,"

Kurogane eyed the tin suspiciously. "Surely you can get more in,"

"Oh no," Yuko shook her ebony hair, "I can no longer reach the world where I got this potion,"

She paused and smirked, "Do you know why I can't go there anymore?"

"No." Kurogane stated blankly.

"Me neither," Yuko laughed dryly. "It sealed up, never to open again. Nobody knows why."

Kurogane looked at her thin fingers coil around the tin lid. Would she give it to him? If this was the only potion that cured any disease, would she give that up? That was her job, wasn't it? To grant people's wishes, no matter what? And although the potion was so rare and useful, she would definitely give it to him for a price.

Yuko's expression seemed to be of contemplation. Kurogane waited.

She blinked her long eyelashes slowly, her face growing serious, "Now," she said, "For payment,"

"I know that this is rare and very important and others may offer you a much better price, but i'll try and pay anything that I can," Kurogane explained, although his expression remained calm.

"No," she said with a smile, "There is a fair price that you can pay for this. The question is, is if you'd be willing to pay it,"

Kurogane's gaze darkened. He knew this couldn't be good.

"Right now," Yuko said, a sudden sense of gentleness in her voice, "The most important thing to you is the ability to love,"

Kurogane felt slightly confused, "So I have to-?" he said, surveying her to carry on.

"Give up the ability to love," she stated.

"And how do I do that?" Kurogane asked, his temper beginning to rise.

"You will have to take on a curse," she explained, "The curse is, if you get to close to someone or if you feel any love for anyone, in any way, the curse will try to kill them,"

Kurogane stared at her, wondering if she was making this up as a sick joke.

"You will have to throw off emotions and not feel any love towards anyone close to you. If you do, you will hurt them, or worse, you will kill them," Yuko twirled her hand around the lid and then looked into his eyes, "Is it really worth it?"

Kurogane thought for a moment. If he did this, he could end up hurting everyone around him. If he let his emotions stir for a moment, he could kill someone very important to him. Could he live with that curse? Could he throw off any feelings he had for anyone and become completely emotionless? But if he didn't pay this price, Fai would end up dying. Fai would slowly die from the inside and then the out. Either way, Fai could end up hurt. Kurogane placed his fists of the smooth, cold of the table surface and narrowed his eyebrows. Why did things always have to be so damn difficult? Despite all this reasoning with himself, he knew there was only one thing he could do.

"I'll pay it," he muttered darkly. "I'll take this curse on,"

Yuko nodded her head. She understood his reasons.

"First of all," she said, "This is a curse that can be broken,"

He opened his mouth to speak but she raised a hand that told him she would not explain further.

"Secondly," she said, wrapping up the potion tin, "For this potion to work, it needs to contain the root of the sickness,"

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kurogane asked.

"In this case, the sickness is from the city and storm, am I correct?" she waited till he nodded, "Then you need the essence of the storm."

"Essence?" Kurogane asked, "What-?"

"I have to send you back now," Yuko said, placing the tin in his hands. "You'll know what to do."

Kurogane protested as she pushed him to the center of the shop. Then she raised out a hand and closed her eyes.

"There," she said, "You have paid in full."

"I don't feel any different," Kurogane said.

"Well," she said, raising an eyebrow in disdain, "I think its safe to assume you don't hold any feelings of love for me,"

Kurogane narrowed his eyebrows, "About this love thing-" he began.

But he was surrounded by light and Yuko's face disappeared behind it. He was going home, the potion clutched tight to his chest.

**3**

There was a sudden darkness about the way he moved. He looked at Fai. Casting his thoughts to other things, he gently hit the magician on the arm to wake him up.

Fai looked painfully thin and white. His cheeks were pallid and dry and his eyes were dark and heavy.

"Kuro-tan?" he asked, "Is that you?"

Kurogane had to move away, a sudden pain tightening his insides. He nodded, hastily avoiding Fai's stare.

-

-

Fai rubbed his eyes and got out of bed. His limbs were heavy and sore, but he stood anyway, his mouth slightly open in a mixture of worriment and confusion. Something was wrong.

"I know what to do," Kurogane remained at the doorway, trying his hardest not to look at Fai. "You'll be better soon, as soon as I can get it ready,"

"You did all this-" Fai began, but he wasn't smiling. He moved closer to Kurogane. "What's-"

Kurogane glanced sideways, unable to stop himself. Fai's curious and frightened eyes stared up at him helplessly.

Kurogane stepped back furiously and brought his hands to his head.

_Don't look at him._

But Fai's arm was still reached out towards him.

_Don't look. Don't think. Don't even feel._

Kurogane desperately tried to divert his attention. To divert his feelings, but all that was crossing his mind was grabbing Fai's hand and laying him back down to sleep, telling him that everything would be okay.

_Don't-_

The curse was already curling up inside of him, he could feel it almost thriving away, reaching for Fai's thin neck.

"Kuro-" Fai was reached for Kurogane's shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" Kurogane snapped loudly, distancing himself as far as he could get, he glared at Fai, his whole inside twitching.

Fai's hand jerked in mid-air and then fell limply to his waist, his eyes focused on Kurogane's face, staring hollowly at the ninja's discontented grimace. Kurogane's arm pulled reflexively to the sword at his side. In all his restraint he grabbed for the door handle.

"I need to go," he muttered, casting his eyes away from the mage, trying to throw away all feeling he had in him.

Fai stood limply in the center of the room, his darkened eyes almost making his pallid skin glow. "I'm sorry," he whispered helplessly.

Kurogane twirled round in reaction. The curse throttling his motions and reaching for Fai. He pulled back with everything he had and glared at Fai as he once again tried to leave.

There was nothing he could say.

-

Kurogane knelt down on the floor feeling hopelessly incapacitated. He instantly felt a wave of relief pass through his tense muscles and his overstrung thoughts. Staying in Fai's room had torn him apart. Everything the mage had said had made him want to turn and strike Fai with all he had. He would have to distance himself. Most importantly he would have to put an end to his feelings. They could be forgotten, right? He could supress them until nothing remained - to become emotionless.

That wouldn't be hard. Would it?

Kurogane leant back and smiled painfully.

_"I think,_

_i'm falling..."_

-

-

Emotionless people didn't exist.

If they did, they weren't truly living.

-

-

-

**4**

Sakura stirred the spoon around the teacup slowly. Syaoran should have been home by now.

"Where's the kid?"

"Aaah, Kurogane-san," she started, clanking the spoon against the cup edge.

Kurogane stood by the door, "He's still outside?"

Sakura nodded, "He hasn't returned yet, I'm getting worried about him,"

Kurogane flinched again. It was happening with Sakura too. He needed to get out.

"Don't worry," he said gruffly, "I'll go find him,"

-

The rain dripped from the walls and the pipes. Even the raindrops seemed to be tired, falling miserably and then creating halfhearted puddles along the grey cobblestones. Kurogane stared along both sides of the street. Where would Syaoran be now?

He didn't have to walk far along the docks before he found his answer. Syaoran ran towards him with his head down and his cape flapping in the cold wind. Kurogane latched onto the boy's collar.

"Slow down," he said, "What have you found?"

Syaoran breathed heavily and looked at Kurogane feeling slightly confused before explaining his theory about the feather.

"Aah," Kurogane smiled, "So you think the feather is attracting the lightning and it is only hitting the cave walls? Where exactly is the feather?"

"I don't know," Syaoran answered, "I came back to bring you or Fai-san for help. I thought that Fai-san could detect-"

"That may be so, but I don't think the mage is in any position to trail around in the rain," Kurogane said, "We'll just have to break through ourselves,"

Syaoran stood and prepared to go back the way he came, "We'll go now?"

Kurogane nodded, "There's something I have to get from up there too,"

Syaoran raised an eyebrow but nodded, then began running forwards. He realised Kurogane wasn't following.

Kurogane stood under the rain shower, "Its safer if we keep our distance, trust me,"

-

-

Kurogane trailed the top of the cliff staring at the sky. The storm was brewing, he could see it in the clouds. He reached for the tin and pulled it out from his pockets, still unsure of what he would do. Syaoran had already made his way into the cave and found the point where the lightning would hit. Kurogane listened through the rocks until he heard Syaoran's breathing and shoes scratching against the rock.

"So this is where the lightning strikes," he muttered.

"Kurogane-san!" Syaoran yelled, his voice muffled.

"Yeah," Kurogane shouted, "It's going to strike soon, get ready!"

Syaoran raised his sword. It would take one swipe of the blade if he was lucky, but it would have to be at the precise timing, exactly when the light would flicker.

Kurogane unscrewed the lid and looked at the potion inside. It was the colour of charred blood - thick dark red. Thunder quaked loudly above him and he raised his arms in the air, the tin directed at the sky and his gaze hovering upon doubt and determination.

"Are you ready?" he barked at Syaoran.

Syaoran held the sword high above his head and listened intently, casting his senses around the walls, it was coming.

Light flickered in the clouds and then began to dash. "Here it comes!" Kurogane shouted, closing his eyes but keeping his hands raised up to the sky.

The lighting stopped short at the liquid, almost totally absorbed, Kurogane felt a sharp shock go through him and then through the cave ceiling. It seemed it had a better destination than his body. He sighed, lowering his arms slowly and looking at the flickering red mixture. Quickly, he screwed the top back onto the tin and rubbed his sore limbs. He was lucky the lightning was mostly absorbed by the potion and the rock surface.

"Did you get it?" he shouted down through the rocks.

"No," came the muffled reply, "I swung too early."

Kurogane flicked an eye to the sky and climbed out of the way. "Here it comes again!" he yelled.

Syaoran reached a hand through the crumbling rock he had sliced and waited with his eyes closed. The lightning struck and he felt a soft touch graze his palm. The feather was definitely in conjoined with the wall.

"I've almost got it," he shouted and waited once more.

There was a moment to silence that hovered throughout the walls. Syaoran breathed in. If he could focus, he would be able to do it. A sharp quake of thunder, followed by-

"That's it!" he cried and clasped his hand into a fist as soon as light shone through the tunnel. Syaoran pulled out his hand and stared at the simplistic feather that lay in it. It was light and soft and he had now got it back.

Syaoran smiled and held it to his heart.

"I got a memory back,"

-

-

-

**5**

Sakura held Fai's hand in hers desperately. His coughs were becoming frequent and he was quickly deteriorating, shaking and twitching as if he were chilled through. Mokona hovered over Fai worriedly, but neither of them knew what to do.

Kurogane and Syaoran still hadn't made it back and there was a storm outside now.

Fai jerked from where he was lying every time the lightning struck down outside the windowpane.

"They'll be alright?" he said, his delicate voice overcome with a sharp croak.

Sakura didn't know what to say. Half of her heart was worried about Fai and the other was desperately wondering where Kurogane and Syaoran were and if they were okay.

"Fai-san," she said lightly, her eyes concentrated on the window, "Why are you so afraid of thunderstorms?"

Fai didn't seem to be expecting that. He blinked his dark eyes and then looked away.

"I don't know why I'm afraid," he said quietly, "Kuro-chi would tell me its stupid. It is really. All it is is noise. I have no reason to be afraid of noise, right? It can't hurt me even if it is coming from a place I can't really reach. But, I still can't stand being outside during thunder and light-" Fai trailed off then smiled at Sakura.

"There really is no need for me to be afraid of lightning," he said, "No need at all,"

She tilted her head and held his hand tight, "Why not?"

He raised his limp wrist lightly and pointed a finger at his chest and his heart.

"Lightning," he whispered, "Never strikes in the same place twice, right?"

Sakura's eyes widened and she began to speak, staring in surprise at Fai's smiling face.

"I didn't-"

Her words were interrupted as Syaoran flung open the door.

"Syaoran-kun!" she gasped and threw an arm around his neck, "I was so worried," she whispered into his shoulder.

Syaoran held her for a second and then drew back, "I found your feather," he said softly and pulled out the tiny object.

Sakura took the feather in her own hands and let it sink back within her. Images flashed by quickly and voices began to echo throughout her mind. She barely had time to listen to them before-

"Oh-"

Fai didn't have time to speak before his blonde head hit the pillow.

"Fai-san!" Sakura gasped, rushing to his side, forgetting all her feather was telling her, "He's not waking up! Where is Kurogane-san?" she cried desperately.

"He was following behind me," Syaoran said hurriedly, also rushing to the magician's side and shaking him slightly.

"This isn't good," Sakura said, "We have to help! What can we-"

Kurogane stepped in the room, completely soaked through and dripping on the carpets, "I-" he began but stopped short when he saw Fai's limp body.

"Listen," he said sternly, "You have to give him this,"

Kurogane tossed Syaoran the tin and then pulled back.

"Make him drink it," Kurogane muttered before leaving the room as fast as he could. His blade shook at his side, his hand continuously reaching for it. Kurogane clamped his hands round his head. Everything was tearing him apart. Sakura was crying out Fai's name and he wasn't waking up. Syaoran was forcing the mixture down Fai's dying lips and Fai himself looked like a dead man, pale and as brittle as a corpse.

If he rushed in and made Fai drink it himself, if he went in the room now and patted Sakura's head telling her it would be okay or if he walked in the room simply to feel the relief of Fai waking up, he would most probably kill them. He would kill them all before he could even feel the happiness of Fai's healthy smile. Kurogane slumped at the wall and sat on the floor as everything grew to a strange silence. The rain at windows died down and the air was completely still. Kurogane stared out at the clearing sky from his place on the floor.

Would things always be this way?

-

-

-

**6**

The fluid was warm and filled his throat with a feeling that he could only describe as life.

"Fai-san?"

The voice was quiet and still slightly blurred.

-

-

-

**7**

A hazy eye flutters open.


	4. IV And Soul

**Compel Your Black Eyes**

**Take 4 - & Soul**

**1**

It was simply a cliche.

It was a terribly stupid cliche that the next world they happened to land in, seemed to be as rainy and grey as the last one.

However, it was still different, the fishing town had been a murky grey, a wet, industrial, blotch mark on a charcoal painting grey and yet, this world was a blue grey, a darkened periwinkle grey. The rain was like snow; ice cold and faintly glowing and the atmosphere felt stormy and almost mystic.

Fai tapped his foot lightly on the glassy cobblestone steps to shake off the sloppy snow. His eyes had healed up fairly. They still looked slightly dark, but the blue was still there and his vision had returned sufficiently. The houses the people lived in were strange. They had smooth outsides in shades of blues and blacks, but the inside walls of the houses were all large panes of glass. The place they were staying was a baroque style house with a curling door knocker and a glass-tiled roof. It belonged to an old man who had rooms to spare and to rent out. He was a fairly humble man and kept to himself, not asking of their business when they came, or what they were looking for, but Fai could tell that the man wasn't an ordinary gentleman. His entire aura gleamed of magic potential, perhaps that of an alchemist or philosopher or even a necromancer. Fai wasn't sure, but the way the man guarded some of the rooms in the house were enough to give him away. The library was especially forbidden.

They had arrived the previous night and went on to find shelter. Kurogane had distanced himself, as he had ever since Fai had gotten better, but Fai didn't have the energy to ask about it yet, especially since he still felt sickened and tired and Kurogane was probably angry about something. Even so, it irked him like crazy. Especially when Kurogane had demanded a separate room for himself that preferably had a lock. Fai had felt a small twinge of hurt at this, but he put it aside and focused on having a good night's sleep. Even though the snow and ice had reminded him so much of home.

Mokona had been sleeping a lot too. Usually curled up on a cosy, warm pillow by the fire. Sakura had been fussing over Fai more than usual, making sure he was okay and recovering. It was true that he still felt a bit beaten and weak, but he couldn't get them worried or stalled, especially since Kurogane was ignoring him. Syaoran had wanted to get the search started as soon as possible as he and Sakura couldn't deal with the cold as well as Fai. They came from a warm country and such states of temperature had come as a bit of a shock. It was hard to say how Kurogane was coping because he didn't come out of his room. The times he came out were merely breif and he always looked pained and hesitant. Fai wondered for a moment if perhaps he was sick and didn't want to tell anybody, but the way Kurogane sometimes glared and grind his teeth were enough to make Fai assume that Kurogane was angry with him.

Fai had hesitantly wandered outside Kurogane's door a few times but always turned away when the ninja glanced darkly at him through the glass pane. Fai did observe, however, that the strange thing about the lock on Kurogane's door was that it seemed to lock both from the inside and the outside.

It was the third time that Fai had strolled along the house that he decided he needed to say something. He slowly and awkwardly walked up to Kurogane's glass door and began to unlock it.

"I'm coming in," he said, trying his best to sound happy, but the weakness and confusion in his voice was all that Kurogane needed to hear.

"Don't come in," Kurogane grumbled angrily, "Just leave me alone,"

"Kuro-sama," Fai paused, his hand fixed around the smooth door handle, "Have I done something to make you mad?"

Kurogane stayed in the furthest corner of the room, it almost seemed as if he hadn't heard Fai.

Fai pushed the door a little further, "Can't I come in and talk to you?"

"No," Kurogane snapped, "If you want to say something, you can say it from out there, I _can _hear you know,"

Fai bit his lip and nodded, "Of course,"

Kurogane leant back against the wall and lightly closed his eyes.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Fai's voice was strangely solid.

"I'm not," Kurogane said slowly, "I-"

"Are you mad because I didn't thank you? I know that it was you who got that strange medicine, but when I went to say thank you, you were already sleeping, and now you're always by yourself," Fai asked from outside the door.

Kurogane didn't answer.

"Because, If you are, I mean, I do thank you, because I didn't want to die like that," Fai said softly.

"I'm not mad, won't you just go away?" Kurogane said, sounding oddly breathless.

"No," Fai said calmly, "I want to understand you,"

Kurogane twitched from the wall, "I think you should go, there's no way you'll understand anything that I'm going through,"

Fai smiled faintly and turned away, leaning backwards against the door.

"Is this about that night that I said didn't matter?"

Kurogane sat up at this. He hadn't thought about that for a while. "No," he said darkly, trying to keep his calm, "We didn't do that, _remember_? It was two nobodies. It was meaningless."

Fai turned around sharply, "But it wasn't really meaningless, was it?"

Kurogane kneaded his knuckles and firmly leant back against the wall.

"It wasn't meaningless to you was it?" Fai persisted, "And that's why you're so mad-"

"Shut up!" Kurogane snapped.

"But its true! And I swear, I didn't really mean it! I swear that I really, really wanted to-"

"You better shut the hell up right now,"

"Because it's you and-"

"Will you shut up and get away from me?"

"And all I wanted was to be close to you jus-"

Kurogane stood up in rage and glared fiercely at the door with Souhi drawn at his side.

Fai stared up at him and aytomatically sensed something was wrong.

"What do-" he began, staring at the new glint in Kurogane's eyes.

"You had better run," Kurogane growled, "Just run. Now."

Fai let go of the door handle and took a step back.

"Now!" Kurogane repeated, his body bolting for the door.

Fai nodded, his pale features glimmering with a flicker of alarm as he began to break into a run.

_-_

_-_

Fai turned through the glass corridors.

"What did you sacrifice?" he said loudly into nothing.

"...Just to make me live," he added in whisper.

-

-

-

-

Kurogane slammed his fist across the glass pane and didn't even leave a crack. Closing his eyes, he placed his forehead to the cool sheet and tried to calm down.

It was so true that the glass paned walls of the room were pure and see-through but Kurogane couldn't help feel that they were as opaque and as barricading as hell.

**2**

Fai lit the candle quickly and began to climb out of bed. He could see that Sakura and Syaoran were already sleeping and so he tried his best to keep quiet.

Kurogane was sleeping too, leaning upright against the sharp glass corner of the room. Fai quickly flipped the lock on the door that was from the outside; Kurogane wouldn't be able to get out. Fai smiled faintly to himself and then walked the perimeter of the room until he was crouched down where Kurogane was sleeping then he raised his hand and tapped his knuckle against the pane.

Kurogane flicked his eyes open immediately and stared at Fai who waved his hand at Kurogane.

"What are you-" Kurogane started, but Fai shook his head.

"The room is bolted from the outside and you can't get out," he whispered, "So I came to talk to you,"

"Look," Kurogane said, inching closer to the wall, "You don't know what-"

"I can make a fair guess," Fai said calmly, "And I just need to tell you that I'm the one who's going to save you this time,"

Kurogane almost smirked. "How are you going to do that?" he asked, with a dark tone to his voice, "You can barely save yourself,"

"I know, I know," Fai whispered, "But, you saved me, so now, I'm going to save you,"

Kurogane sighed, "I can save myself you know,"

Fai's gaze steadied, becoming determined yet sad, "You know, you and I aren't completely different,"

Kurogane raised an eyebrow, "Yes we are," he said, "We're totally different,"

"You think it too, don't you," Fai said, poking a finger to the glass, "Sometimes you think 'what am I holding on for'?"

Kurogane opened his mouth and his whisper suddenly acquired volume, "I _value_ my life. As long as I'm living I've got something to hold on for,"

"No, I don't think that's true," Fai continued, "You always saw a tiny, tiny part of me in yourself. But, you're right, you do value your life more than the average person, however, sometimes, it only makes sense to you when you look at the people who really need you, am I right?"

"That's crazy," Kurogane grumbled, "You're completely idiotic,"

Fai placed a hand up against the glass, "Sometimes," he began, breathing delicately against the wall, making tiny powdered patterns, "Sometimes I think-"

"You know," Kurogane growled, "I could break through this glass and strangle you?"

Fai glanced at Kurogane's shaking hands that were clamped fiercely to the wall and then laughed.

"You're right," he chirped, "So I'll make this quick, I think I have to help you. I miss being able to be close to you, so, if I want you to stay with me, I have to break this curse, right?"

Kurogane opened his mouth to speak again.

"Shhh," Fai breathed, "I'm doing this because I want to - Just like you wanted to help me,"

Fai let his lips graze the cold sheet of glass where Kurogane's hand was shivering.

"Goodnight," he whispered, "See you soon,"

-

-

-

**3**

Fai had to take a detour before he went back to his room. There was something in the atmosphere of the house that suggested it was equally magical as it's enigmatic owner. Fai held the candle out until he came to the library. It was true the man had asked them not to go in it as it was private, but Fai was certain that it probably contained a handful of sorcery and alchemy books and even some enchantments. This was the hope he was basically relying on, otherwise he would have to think of a different method in saving Kurogane. Fai stared at through the panes at the bookshelves, trying to make out any titles, but most of the books seemed to be blank. Fai sighed and made his way around the room searching for the door. He could see there was a desk in one of the corners and he could also see there were a few separate trunks scattered around the crimson carpet. Walking now onto the third side of the room, Fai felt the handle slip into his hand from where he was reaching out.

The lock was poorly made and required no key as it was a simple rusty bolt and the door opened easily. For someone who wanted to keep his books a secret, he certainly hadn't kept them well guarded.

Fai settled the candle down at one of the wooden desks and then made his way over to the bookshelves. The moonlight was quite bright that night as the moon was fairly full, and the constant patter of icy drizzle tapped at the windowpane.

Fai picked up the first few books and started glancing through them. One was a gardening journal with flower pressings and the other was an old book telling of religious accounts, Fai placed them to the side and moved on, but the selection of books in the library was very restricted. There were further journals and account books, plus a few historical novels. Fai quickened his pace. He'd been sure that this man could work some sort of magic. The next bookshelf was basically the same. More account books and a few science articles. Fai sighed and went back to the flickering candle. He hadn't thought that he could possibly be wrong.

Fai rubbed a hand across his head and then stopped, as he saw something move along the corridor. It was just a shadow, but he was certain it was a person. Fai hurriedly dashed to find someplace to hide but the handle was already creaking.

Fai laughed, "Ah-ha! How do I explain this? You see, I was walking, in my sleep, I mean, and- Sakura-chan?"

Fai glanced as Sakura closed the door behind her.

"I saw you weren't in your bed and I got worried, so I came to look for you here," she said. "But now I'm worried Syaoran-kun will do the same and come looking for me," she added.

Fai laughed lightly, "Well, good news, because you can help me search!"

Sakura tilted her head, "What are you looking for?"

"A book, preferably about spells and enchantments. Hopefully one that specializes in curses and such," he said, placing already looked-through books back upon the shelves.

Sakura glanced around the room, "Maybe he didn't want them to be able to be seen though walls," she observed.

Fai nodded, "Yes, but I'm not sure where-"

They both turned to the few large trunks that sat around the room. Fai chuckled, "That should have been easy to work out. This illness must have numbed my intuition,"

They made there way over to the trunk and opened it slowly. Fai pulled out a heavy, leather-bound book and brushed the dust from the sleeve.

"Ah-ha! I knew it!" he said in sing-song, "I knew that this place had some sort of magical aura,"

Fai placed the book in her hands.

"Alchemy and Sorcery," Sakura read out, "This is what you were looking for?"

"Not exactly," Fai said, quickening his pace at rummaging through the trunk, stopping to read the titles, "I want something that's more-"

He paused, staring at the spine of the book in his hands.

"Breaking Enchantments and Curses," Sakura read over his shoulder, "Fai-san, why do you-"

"Found it!" Fai exclaimed, stading up.

Sakura scooped up the books that had been strewn to the floor and closed the trunk.

Fai flicked through the pages, his blue eyes darting from line to line. He smiled for a second as if he had made a wonderful discovery, but then he began to frown.

"What's wrong?" asked Sakura, standing up next to him.

Fai stared at the page blankly before making a small sound with his lips.

"_People close are doomed to die_

_Cursed in the heart, the head and above_

_It pits your feelings towards feelings_

_And brings wrath upon those who you love,_"

Fai read it over, "That seems to make sense, but I don't really understand the-"

Sakura took the book and began reading the rest.

"_Although alone you suffer now_

_Don't give up hope of into fear_

_The way to make this all resolve_

_Is to truly own a part of one most dear_,"

"Is that all it says?" Fai asked.

She shook her head and continued.

"_Be warned, however, please take note_

_That this must not be a physical bond_

_You must truly become intertwined as such_

_You own a part of one most fond_"

-

-

-

**4**

"I think I understand," Fai said faintly from his chair.

"You do?" Syaoran asked, opening the curtains on the sunrise.

"I think that not the two people, but rather, the two _souls_, have to intertwine," Fai said.

Sakura tilted her head in confusion, "But-"

"For example, if a part of one of our souls joined with Kurogane's, that bond would be so strong that it would shatter the curse. It's almost a paradox, see? The curse is designed to kill those that you love, not to kill yourself, and by technically 'owning' a part of the soul, you are becoming one that you would originally kill, therefore, the curse has to retreat!" Fai explained hurriedly.

"That may be so, Fai-san, but we don't know whose soul we have to use or how on earth we bind them together." Syaoran said, sitting down next to Sakura.

Fai flipped over the pages in the book again, "Well," he began slowly, "It doesn't say that it has to be the one _most_ dear, only that it has to be someone dear to him."

Sakura and Syaoran exchanged glances.

"So then," Sakura began, "Circumstance would mean that it has to be one of us?"

Syaoran nodded slowly and exchanged glances with Fai.

"The curse began activating with all of us, so its hard to say who'd be best for breaking it," he said.

Fai nodded again.

"You know," Sakura began quietly, "I think it should be a part of _you_, Fai-san,"

Fai blinked in surprise at her comment and then smiled faintly, "I don't mind,"

"I think it should be Fai too!" Mokona chirped, snuggling into the top of Sakura's head.

Fai laughed, "Why do you think that?"

Sakura glanced up at Mokona and they both smiled.

"Because Fai-san and Kurogane-san seem to both find light in each others eyes," Sakura said warmly.

"It's true, It's true!" Mokona nodded, "Even when they're black and decaying!"

Fai giggled faintly and patted Mokona on the head.

-

-

-

Soul attachment was easier than it sounded.

Fai let Ashura's calm and soothing voice drift through his head.

"First of all, we need an object that the soul can go into, something solid, like a dart or a glass globe."

Fai took out a small silver dagger that was embellished with an intricate phoenix design. That would have to be his transfer. There was no other way of getting the soul actually into the other person without actually breaking and sinking into that person.

"Second of all, is a sacrifice cut. Small, and taken from the chest or from the temple. Two places where the soul is equally spread."

Fai breathed in and cut two strokes below his collarbone so they made the shape of a strange red cross. The blood began to flow.

"Next," Ashura's voice was gentle, even when talking about such sinister magic, "Is the chant. I have to keep telling you how vital words are to spells. Without words, there is no charm. Even if the spell method is carried out perfectly,"

Fai still held the dagger a few centimeters out from the flowing wound and beckoned Sakura to come closer to him.

Ashura's dark eyes blazed deep into his own. "The words are-"

He moved a stray strand of hair away from her ear, "You have to say these words with me," he said, "Just so we know that this will work,"

Sakura held on to Fai's hand with her right and reached out for Syaoran with her left.

Forming some sort of sinister chain, Fai pressed the dagger down a little harder and began the chant

"Ziel. Essentie. Overleving.

Door Attatchment. Zet om

Zet en compulse en attatch om.

Dit essense.

Strengel met stevig zilver ineen.

Zilver. Essentie. Ziel. Ziel. Attatch."

There voices grew stronger and steadier, the clasps of their hands almost crushing and breaking.

The whole room became dark, soft silver glows bouncing from the transparent glass walls and all around the room, shadows and glows flitting like carousel horses as their chanted voices encircled and collided with each other.

The dagger began to glow soft and subtle light blue and the room became coldly still.

Fai pulled the dagger away which now felt warm in his hand and stared at the other two. Sakura took a piece of clean cloth and began dabbing at Fai's wound as Fai tossed the dagger from palm to palm.

Syaoran knelt down and looked at the silver dagger.

Fai held it up, his eyes still focusing on the faintly glowing phoenix and then looked at Syaoran who was just as entranced.

"So," Fai began, "Do you think it worked?"


	5. V White Light

**A/N : **Compel 5 is finally done! Now I can relax a little. I thought this chapter would be really short, but it turned out longer than I'd imagined. I like this chapter. I hope you all like it too. All you reviews have been wonderful. I love the feedback, so keep it coming! Thank you all and please enjoy!

**Note : **I changed my pen name. I used to be Silvered Green and I'm now Daydreamer's Lessons. I hope it wasn't too confusing when you received the alert mail. Haha! Anyway, I hope that all my old readers are still familiar with me and that new readers will like me as Daydreamer's Lessons. Now, I've bothered you long enough. Let's get down to the chapter. Update! This has been edited. I wasn't happy with the end.

**Disclaimer** Tsubasa (c) CLAMP.

* * *

**Compel Your Black Eyes**

**Take 5 - White Light**

_But my darling, don't you know? There are thunderstorms in heaven too. _- Apart.

**1**

Kurogane couldn't stand being cramped up in such a small room. Especially when it's walls told complete lies to how large it was. With the clear, transparent glass all around the mysterious house, the whole upper place seemed like it were one big room; in reality however, Kurogane's room was no larger than a jail cell.

It was especially horrible for Kurogane. If there were anyone who couldn't stand being held in one place for a long period of time, it were him. Like a caged bird, he felt completely robbed of freedom, and like a prisoner, he felt completely robbed from signs of humanity. Except for the time when Fai had crouched down outside and placed his lips to the glass. Although, even that had caused a shudder in him. A murderous, heavy shudder that sent urges down his spine and into his limbs that made him lust for the spilling of blood. The curse had fully taken over now. At first he could feel it tight around his heart, but now it lay like a stone in his stomach; fully digested and churning the insides.

He stretched out his legs and sighed. It was dark and silent all around; yet he wasn't tired and he felt like he was caught in a sliver of an hour that could only be described as 'timeless'.

Everyone would be asleep.

And the sleet would be the only thing on the street.

If he were quick and if he were quiet, he could easily flip open the latch of the door and take a short walk to stretch out his stiff limbs and to slacken his knotted muscles. Kurogane rolled his neck and shoulders in contemplation. He was managing the curse easier than before. And if he even were to run into one of his companions, which were very unlikely, given the time, he could easily hold back and run back to his room where he could lock himself inside once again.

Right?

But something seemed so wrong.

It was all too dangerous. It was gambling on too many risks.

Kurogane ran a hand through his raven hair, pushing stray strands out from his eyes and then he stood up straight, trying not to knock his head on the glass-paned ceiling.

He would only be a minute; and then he would come back.

**2**

Fai could feel the smoothness of blade against his skin from under his dusty overcoat. He stood at the door a moment and in his hesitation, began to slide down until he were slumped like a child against the cool panel.

He was still unsure of what to do.

If he talked to Kurogane about the soul charm, he might reject it completely, and if he didn't, he might have wanted another person to have prepared the charm.

Fai shook his head. It didn't matter upon the technique of carrying out the task; no matter what he chose to do, there was the chance he could be struck dead before any form of words were uttered from his lips.

The only other choice, therefore, would be to strike Kurogane while he slept. Fai pressed his lips together, and ran a finger across the glowing silver. He couldn't do that. It was inhuman and cowardly. To not only hurt someone physically, but to not even explain what you were trying to accomplish. Fai's hand rested upon the handle of the dagger and he took grip.

"Well," he whispered, "I guess it's now or never."

Then, in one abrupt motion, the entire house began to glow in white light. The blaze of light flickered at the window along with the sound. The one sound that made Fai's head snap up and glare at the windows with a hovering expression of dread. The light that had reflected around the house's glass walls began to dim and Fai's colouring began to pale.

There couldn't be thunder _now_.

It just seemed so horrible. So horrible and unfair.

Fai's was cast back to the last world and it's quaking thunder, it's blinding lightning and it's disgusting sickness. The horrible grinding in the throat and the plague of death that rose in the chest and through the senses. Fai brought his hands to his head and began to cradle himself miserably.

Last time, even through all of the sickness, Kurogane was there to hold his hand while he was sleeping or while he was sheltering himself in the corners of the steady walls. It was just so horribly unfair that the one person that had actually made him feel safe in a thunderstorm couldn't come anywhere near him right now.

The heavens opened again and a dark and violent rumbling echoed through the air. Fai made a small cry in his throat and raised his hands as if something were to fall there. And then, just like a beautiful prism, the lightning struck to a specific point that tiny rainbow-like lights danced upon the clear surfaces.

He was too high. Much too high. It was going to hit him here. It was going to absorb into the surroundings and pass right through him.

"Not again," Fai uttered, trying desperately to find his balance, "I don't want to-"

The crackling of thunder meeting the crooked lightning strike made him jump up to his feet, hurriedly, he searched desperately for the staircase, trying to keep himself as low as possible. As long as he kept low, it couldn't hurt him. As long as he found somewhere to hide.

Fai stumbled down the last few steps and felt for the rusted door handle. He had seen an old storehouse just in the garden and beside the gate as he had entered the house. A storehouse that dug way down deep into the ground. It would be perfect for shelter and protection from the storms that plagued the country.

His breath was becoming hysteric and the rain was colder than he'd ever thought possible. Why on earth had he come outside? The thunder echoed through the spaces of trees that lay in front of the gardens and the lightning was preoccupied with the tips and tops of the roofs and the steeples, yet Fai felt so wonderfully helpless.

Crouching down, his knees already slaked in mud and sleet, Fai through his hands against the storeroom door, clawing desperately at the rusted iron, trying to open the heavy wooden doors.

"What are you _doing_?" it was an angry and far-away shout, "Get back inside the house!"

Fai instantly whirled his soaked head towards the mismatched forests. Kurogane's silhouette masked delicately into the darkness of the looming trees.

"Get inside the house!" Kurogane repeated.

Fai continued staring, the cold knife in his pocket suddenly becoming so very existent again. With shivering fingers, he reached deep for the phoenix embellished dagger.

Kurogane was looking at Fai with his mouth slightly open, the rain running down his face and dripping from his cheek and his neck. He looked slightly angry and slightly confused, it didn't matter, he was turning back into the forest. He was getting away from Fai.

Fai stood up from the storeroom door, all thought of thunder and lightning pushed back into his mind. There was only one phrase that came into his thought. Something he'd said only minutes earlier.

Kurogane was only up the path and into the mass of trees and the twinkling blade was already in his hands. It was definitely now or never.

**3**

Fai broke into a run, and when he turned the corner to enter into the forest, he saw Kurogane was running too. Fai paused and then continued, trying to keep up with the rapidly fast ninja, but Fai was nowhere near as quick and he was already running out of breath from all the fear and anxiety that had completely worn him down.

"Stop-" he began, but his voice was breaking, the thunder cut him off and it was much louder when echoed between the trees. He let out a quiet, panicked, 'oh' and stumbled down to the dirt, his arms and legs scraping roughly on the rocky ground.

Fai turned his head, his blond hair streaked with mud and looked to the side. Between the trees was a simplistic clearing where the edge of the cliff-like ground stopped and delved deep to form a clear blue river. The lightning panned against the water's surface, always leaving ripples, yet never growing too near. Fai groaned, his hand still gripped tight round the still-glowing silver.

Kurogane was still running, he could hear the vibrations of his footsteps on the ground, but he'd definitely slowed down his pace.

Fai stood up and began to run again, occasionally seeing a glimpse of shadow between the trees that he knew was Kurogane.

"Won't you stop?" Fai called out, his voice oddly calm.

"Stop following me!" Kurogane shouted angrily, "What are you doing?"

Fai almost smiled to himself but held it back, pushing himself forwards and trying hard to catch up.

"Stop it!" Kurogane snapped from ahead, "Are you completely stupid? I'll kill you!"

Fai stopped in his tracks, completely still. Kurogane had stopped, although he looked like he wanted to run.

"Run away," Kurogane growled, his hand gripped tightly to the knothole of an old tree, shivering as though his whole body were fighting against something.

Fai raised his head and looked into Kurogane's pained crimson eyes.

"No,"

Fai's voice was wonderfully clear.

A mere shake of the head and his eyes were speaking of determination and fear.

Kurogane let go of the knothole and stumbled messily to where Fai stood simply. He was getting ready.

"Don't you get it?" the voice was gritty and murderous.

"I'll kill you!"

A swing of steel and Fai was on the floor, dodging the blade that had been held to him so many times. This time was different, this time was serious.

Kurogane whipped round again to where Fai had dodged and now lay on guard in the dirt. The tip of Souhi stained with mud and rain, Kurogane raised his arm again and brought it down fiercely and Fai rolled gracefully and quickly and bounded behind a great oak tree. Raising his own weapon, Fai swallowed and came from behind the tree where Kurogane was already charging at him, his features alight with rage.

Fai jumped back, the blade merely missing his stomach. Both their eyes glinted with fear and then Kurogane was swinging again.

Souhi was high in the air and Fai brought down his guard. As the blade clashed down, Fai met it solidly with the dagger, the two metals ringing like charms beneath the thunder. Kurogane stared at the tiny blade in Fai's hand and then knocked Fai down to the ground again.

Fai's head bounced limply against the rocky dirt. Kurogane had hit him so quickly that he hadn't realized he'd stumbled to the floor.

Panicked, Fai reached desperately for the misplaced dagger, as Kurogane quickly closed in on Fai.

Fai cried out in fear. He could see the sharp glint already swinging through the blackened atmosphere and all he could do was thrust out his own arms, the now faintly-glowing blade firm in his two hands.

**4**

Kurogane stood deathly still. Blood flowing slowly from the ripened cut.

Fai waited for death, but it didn't come. His arms outstretched before him were rooted there by the cold and the dirt on his legs and his waist churned over him like quicksand. Carefully and slowly he began to open his eyes.

Souhi's tip lay centimeters from his mud-streaked hair. It's owner hovering over him with such a still calmness.

Fai opened his mouth and began to speak, but no words would come out. Just a painful, painful silence.

Shivering, he pulled the tip of the dagger as delicately as he could from Kurogane's chest, a short stream of scarlet following its departure. Kurogane lowered his sword and dropped it to the dirt. Fai hurriedly cast away the silver knife, too, and watched as Kurogane fell to his knees beside him.

Fai raised his thin, dirty hands to Kurogane's chest and wiped the blood away as best as he could.

Kurogane tilted his head to the sky, letting the rain beat down onto his forehead and exhaled gently.

"Are you okay?" Fai muttered, his eyes fixated on the tear-shaped wound.

Kurogane flickered open his eyes.

"Yeah," he breathed, "I feel-" he searched for a word and landed upon 'light'.

Fai placed his freezing palm against the smooth of Kurogane's skin.

"What are you doing?" Kurogane grumbled, "You're too cold!"

Fai chuckled very lightly and then dropped his head so it rested on Kurogane's shoulder. "You're okay,"

"Yeah," Kurogane said darkly, as if Fai had pointed out something obvious, "It's gone, isn't it?"

Fai nodded, showing he knew what he meant. "Do you feel almost weightless? As if a huge burden was took off you?"

Kurogane nodded.

"Then it's gone," Fai said, trying to smile.

"What," Kurogane began, "What did you _do_?"

Fai swallowed. "A charm," he stated simply. "A charm for breaking curses."

"Yeah," Kurogane muttered, "What sort of charm?"

Fai lifted his head from Kurogane's shoulder and moved back, his features dull and grim.

"It was a soul attachment charm."

Kurogane raised an eyebrow to tell Fai he had no idea what he was talking about.

"To break the curse," Fai explained, "You needed to have a small part of someone dear to you to become a part of you. So a soul attatchment enchantment was all I could think of. And a blade is always said to be the best item for getting the job done."

Kurogane eyed Fai thoughtfully. "And it's _your_ soul you used?"

Fai nodded slowly, his blue eyes suddenly investigating Kurogane, searching for some sort of reaction.

"I see," Kurogane said eventually.

"I see?" Fai repeated. "That's it?"

Kurogane tore a piece of fabric from Fai's worn-out overcoat and began to dab at his wound and try bandaging it up.

"I mean," Fai carried on, "You don't mind or -"

"You said you'd save me," Kurogane grumbled, a dirty piece of coat in his mouth, "I just didn't think you'd actually-" he broke off, a small blush creeping onto his wet cheeks.

Fai straightened up, smiling widely.

"What are you so happy about?" Kurogane asked.

"I don't know," Fai said, beginning to stand, "I just felt so happy all of a sudden,"

Kurogane rolled his shoulder, bandage wrapped tight around his chest, "That's just like you. Always pretending to be happy when you aren't and not knowing why you're happy when you are,"

"And it's so like you," Fai smiled, tapping a finger upon Kurogane's nose, "To not say thank you to the person who just broke your curse,"

Kurogane drew his full height, "And it's so like _you_," he said, raising his eyebrows, "To force part of your soul into mine."

Fai laughed lightheartedly. "It's like we'll be together forever, eh, Kuro-tan?" he cupped his hands together, "Even when we're apart and long said our goodbyes! You'll always have a little piece of me with you Kuro-rin!"

Kurogane raised an eyebrow and started walking ahead.

"Hey-" Fai began, "Wait for me, Kuro-chi!"

"Like you'll ever leave me alone long enough that we'll have 'long said our goodbyes'" Kurogane said, kicking the rocks and clearing a path for them to walk on.

"Ah! I see! Kuro-puu _wants _us to stay in each other's company forever!" Fai said, clapping in joy, "Wait till I tell everybo-"

A sharp crack of lightning broke away the great tree branches and a heap of wood fell violently to the floor. Fai jerked in his tracks and then continued walking again.

Kurogane turned round and placed a hand lightly on Fai's shoulder.

"Aren't you afraid?"

Fai shook his head and clutched onto Kurogane's heavy arm, raising his gaze to the stars, "For once," he sighed, "I don't feel so threatened anymore,"

Kurogane watched as Fai danced lightly to the edge of the rocks.

"There's so much to think about, right?" Fai smiled, hopping up onto the rock surface.

Stretching up to the sky, Fai whirled on the spot, "You cured me and now I cured you," he laughed, "It's almost as if-"

Kurogane noticed it first and began to falter forward, reaching out as fast as possible, darting to where Fai shrouded himself in his own arms.

The white light reflected hauntingly in Fai's cerulean blue eyes and remained etched there as he fell delicately.

It was so white. Horribly, agonizingly white.

Then it was dark. Completely black.

The lightning stung. It burned. It singed.

It _drowned_.

* * *


	6. VI Powdered Shadows

**A/N : **Just a little **warning** before we start. This chapter contains scenes of what one would call a sexual nature. I don't think that this story needs to be changed to M because it isn't a very graphic story. And the scene in question is not at all graphic in itself. You just know what is being implied. But if you don't want to read anything like that, then please hit the back button.

Other than that. This chapter is a little late, the last one was submitted near the beginning of the month. I'm so sorry. Fails. But your reviews keep me fuelled and I really do love writing this story. Only, I forgot that I had to make them find a feather! I'm so clumsy, so I had to incorporate a feather-finding plot and I think it went okay. It was totally inspired by Peter Pan. **So leave me a review and tell me what you think. Enjoy!**

* * *

**Compel Your Black Eyes**

**Take 6 - Powdered Shadow**

**1**

Fai had never experienced such blinding familiarity. It was such a twisted, burning pain that caused so much asphyxiation he didn't think he'd wake up again. It had happened before, a long time ago when snow fell even in summer and storms raged even in such magical air and light. It was the same pain and the same feeling. But last time he'd woken up to a silken sheet and a steady figure waiting for him.

The sheet was dusty and woven.

The room seemed empty.

The room _was_ empty.

His nerves tingled delicately as he tried to move. Bandages looped and tied right up to the tip of his neck, Fai undid the knot tenderly and inspected the wounds that curved and gashed his chest. It wasn't too bad. Not as bad as he had thought it might have been. Fairly jagged burns and tiny cuts that were probably from the crooked rocks after his fight with-

"Kurogane," Fai's voice was muffled and deadly weak.

"Fai-san?"

Sakura came into view at the glass door. Fai waved meekly and beckoned her to come in.

"How are you feeling?" she asked worriedly.

"Not so bad," Fai lied.

"The owner of the house said you had a slight shock paralysis, but you should be on your feet in no time, and the burns should-" Sakura knelt down at the side of Fai's bed.

"Where's Kurogane?" Fai asked, "Is he okay?"

Sakura gave Fai a sad, tiny smile, "He's going to be fine, Fai-san, I promise,"

"Is he awake? What happened?" Fai asked, trying his best to sit up.

"Kurogane-san," Sakura began hesitantly, "Kurogane-san grabbed you as the lightning struck and tried to sheild you. He couldn't sheild you fully though so you both shared the damage, although, he got a little more hurt than you,"

"How hurt?" Fai pleaded with her to tell him more.

"Right down his back," Sakura said sadly, "They say it will leave a scar,"

Fai hurriedly brushed away the bed covers and tried to get out of bed.

"Fai-san," Sakura held onto his hand, "You have to rest. You must stay in bed,"

Fai slumped back down to the pillow, his head hitting the soft surface in defeat. "It's all my fault," he breathed.

"No," Sakura held tighter to his hand, "That isn't it at all. Kurogane-san chose to protect you. That's what he would say, right? And if he got hurt in the process it was through his own choice? As long as you're both alive, Fai-san! That's all that matters. If you hadn't shared the damage between you, you would probably have died. Your body wouldn't have been able to take it."

Fai stared hollowly at the glistening ceiling.

"And if you had died," Sakura continued, tears forming in her perfect jade eyes.

"Then I think that would have left the worst scar of all." she whispered, "On all of us."

Fai swallowed, a crisp, dry feeling forming in the back of his throat.

"Fai-san?" Sakura requested.

"I'm going to be sick," he uttered darkly and then Fai rolled off the bed painfully and stumbled to the bathroom.

**2**

"Kuro-tan?"

There was a soft, child-like whisper on his cheek. Warm. Absorbing.

Now a playful finger was caressing his hair. Kurogane stirred fondly. That was all he needed.

That took away the pain completely.

He flickered open an eye weakly and was met by loving smiles.

"You're awake," Fai whispered lazily.

Fai had expected Kurogane to be angry or distant or even to lecture him, but he didn't. Kurogane smiled and stared at Fai with a sense of concern and relief.

He raised a hand and ran it through the golden hair that lay messily at the edge of his bed.

"We're okay, hm?" his voice was surprisingly calm and painless.

Fai raised a head and nodded, letting Kurogane twist his fingers over his forhead, brushing back a sweep of gold.

Fai stood up shakily and fell down onto the bed beside him and let himself be pulled up close. Close enough to fill the void that had built up between them in the last few weeks.

Kurogane brought a Fai's hand to his own and let it lay there a moment before they grasped and collided, intertwining everything. Their heads met, their skin touched, their lips parted and kissed once again, their arms wrapped around, wanting and needing and sighs and desperate whispers were exchanged so quietly and secretively that they were the only two who would ever, _ever_ know what it meant.

Hands caressed cheeks and lips embraced necks and there was such a haunting atmosphere around the glass-like room that made the warmth they felt from each other feel alive and magical. Their eyes told each other everything and their words initiated rushes of discarded emotions and forgotten duties.

There was muffled breathing and heavy sighs, ripened blushes and sharp rushes of blood beneath the skin.

There was pain. A little bit of pain that was somehow forgotten and left behind.

Feelings and gentle touches became hard to explain. Existing and breathing seemed to completely evaporate.

Sleep sounded drug-like. Intoxicating and welcoming.

There was one last kiss upon the forehead; and then they were already dreaming.

**3**

"Fai-san is okay!

"Fai is okay!"

"Kurogane-san is okay!"

"Kurogane is okay!"

It seemed that with everything that had gone on recently, it was almost a strange occurrence for Fai and Kurogane to not be under some sort of pain or sickness. Fai laughed happily at Mokona and Sakura's cheerful antics and Kurogane simply stared on in disdain from the fireside.

"You know, I think now would be a good time to start looking for the feather," Syaoran began, "Of course, you two don't have to do anything because of your conditions, but I think-"

"It's fine, it's fine, Syaoran-kun, Kuro-daddy and I will help in any way which we can, we are sorry we have put you off your mission for so long," Fai smiled at the boy and waved a hand.

"Conditions?" Kurogane scoffed, "I'm in no 'condition',"

"Of course not," Syaoran began awkwardly, "I just meant if you weren't up to it and especially since it isn't your duty, I mean, recovering the princess's feathers is my task and I wouldn't want you two thinking that you _have _to help me. Of course! That is! It's not that I don't appreciate it when-"

"Kid!" Kurogane snapped, "Would you be quiet a second,"

Syaoran blushed and uttered several apologies.

"Kuro-sama and I," Fai began, taking a different approach from Kurogane, "We don't help because we feel obligated. We help because we want to."

Syaoran smiled gratefully. "Thank you,"

"Yes," Sakura piped up, hugging Mokona tightly, "Thank you Fai-san, Kurogane-san, I know I can always-"

"Mokona feels a strong magic approaching!" Mokona exclamied suddenly, it's eyes becoming familiarly wide and glossy.

"Is it the feather?" Syaoran asked, standing up from the armchair he'd been sitting in.

"Yes," Mokona nodded, "Mokona can feel it somewhere around,"

The fire began to whirl and flicker and Kurogane reached for his sword. Something was definitely around them. Something they couldn't see.

Fai closed his eyes and cast out his senses. He could feel it. A presence.

"What is it?" Syaoran asked, as the group inched closer together, the fire pouring out an excess of smoke before coming to an end on the half-burned logs.

"There," Fai raised a finger to the glass walls.

"What is it?" Kurogane demanded, "I can't see anything,"

"They're quick," Fai noted, "And they're enclosing on us,"

"I don't see anything," Syaoran and Kurogane exclaimed at the same time.

Fai narrowed his eyes at the glass panels.

"Shadows," he murmured.

"What?" Kurogane snapped, as the air around them began to whip violently.

"They're shadows, look carefully at the shapes on the glass," Fai said calmly.

"I see them," Sakura said, "Dark shapes, they're fast,"

Fai nodded and held an arm out in front of her, "Be careful," he said, "Shadows can be deadly when they're given a life of their own,"

"Aren't shadows supposed to be silhouettes of people when they get in front of light," Kurogane growled, annoyed he couldn't see the enemy.

"That may be so," Fai agreed, "But where do you think they go when there is no light? Once something is created. It belongs to the world."

"So where do they go?" Syaoran asked, sheilding himself from the growing wind.

"They stay connected to the person. Almost joined, but invisible, kind of like a wandering demon, you understand now?" Fai asked.

"No," Kurogane said bluntly, "So how do we beat them?"

"Shadows can't break those connections," Fai explained, "The connections have to be broken. And that requires a lot of power from someone. An intruder,"

"Not someone," Kurogane muttered.

"Some_thing_," Syaoran finished, his eyes landing on Sakura.

"So swords are useless," Kurogane snorted, "We have to cut the magic supply off from the source,"

Fai nodded, "This means Sakura's feather is probably festering in a place where there are a lot of people, yet there is no light, thus, severing the ties between shadows and their owners,"

The shadow flitted from one glass wall to the next, mocking Fai with a full-toothed grin.

"They'll attack if we don't do something," Sakura cried.

Fai looked all around the room in hope of inspiration, "Kuro-tan!" he cried eventually, "Go fetch that mirror off from the wall,"

Kurogane grumbled but unhooked the mirror and passed it to Fai.

Fai smiled, "Shadows can't look at themselves," he explained, "Because they were created as a silhouette of another being. They can only take form of that being. They can't see that they are a different being, do you follow?"

Syaoran nodded slowly.

Sakura raised a hand and pointed to the furthest wall, "In there," she said.

Fai nodded and raised the mirror as the dark shape darted once again. The wind died and the walls grew still and motionless again, and to Kurogane's shock, the fire flitted back upwards in a flurry of flames, as if it had never gone out at all.

Fai reached up to hook the mirror back on the wall, "Now we need to find a place where shadows thrive."

**4**

Kurogane moved ahead. His features completely stern and his sense cast all around the hollow, snow-covered cobblestones from the strange new enemy.

Fai sighed and watched the ninja move cautiously without a backwards glance. Somehow he knew that this would happen.

"Kuro-wan," he called.

Kurogane glanced at him a moment and then continued moving.

"Kuro-wan," Fai repeated, running a little way to catch up and tugging on Kurogane's shoulder.

Kurogane shrugged Fai's hand away and gave Fai a tiny glare. Fai knew that in the old days, this glare would have meant 'get-the-hell-away-from-me' but now he knew that Kurogane was doing something else.

"Kurogane," Fai said coldly, hoping the use of his proper name would get his attention.

Kurogane sighed, "Yeah?" he asked with a voice of someone who had just given in to something they were trying hard not to do.

"I can feel it you know," Fai said quietly, flakes of snow landing on the edges of his coat and the tips of his hair, "That soul charm connected us more than you realize,"

Kurogane nodded, "I feel it too,"

"What you're thinking," Fai murmured, burying his neck further into the wooly brim of his coat, "It speaks to me right here,"

Kurogane sighed and brushed a few flakes of snow from Fai's shoulders, "I know,"

For a second, Fai had thought Kurogane was about to say 'I'm sorry,'

Fai took a deep breath and clenched his glove-covered hands, looking down at the shiny cobbles, wishing that he didn't have to have this conversation.

"You're afraid," he whispered, trying to make his voice grow louder, "You're afraid that you're falling in love with me, right? And you not only don't understand why or how or how much you mightn't want to, but you don't know how you would ever tell me that you do, and that even worse, I wouldn't feel the same way,"

Kurogane narrowed his eyebrows and turned away.

Fai took the time to look up.

"You're wrong," Kurogane said, disregarding Fai's speech, "I-"

Fai stared at his face. The face he knew so _well_.

"I'm not wrong," Fai said, hugging himself as a sheild from such unbearable coldness.

Kurogane simply glared at Fai and continued to watch the numbing snow fall on his pale cheeks.

"But you know," Fai smiled, "I'd thought that you would be able to feel it too. We _are_ connected, right? I thought that you'd already know,"

"I-" he couldn't put it into words. Words couldn't express what he wanted to say.

"I- I- and it hurts!" he said eventually, his voice becoming so loud and brave, "It hurts right here,"

He brought the clenched fist to his heart.

"So don't force yourself to understand human emotions, just," Fai hesitated, "Just know how I feel, okay?"

Fai smiled and brushed some of the snow out of Kurogane's hair, "Are you cold?"

"You know," Kurogane said, shaking his head, "That sounds like something I would usually say to you,"

Fai's eyes widened and he took a step back, "You think?"

Kurogane couldn't help but smile, "Sure, but don't get used to being prime lecturer."

"I know," Fai breathed, as the children came out of the house, clicking the door shut behind them, "I've still got a long way to go,"

-

-

"They say that this place is one of the busiest around," Fai explained, surveying a hand to the large building.

Syaoran and Sakura stared at the place in a mixture of fright and disenchantment. Kurogane raised an eyebrow in disgust.

"A dance club?" he asked, folding his arms and leaning against the wall.

"Yes," Fai said, "Most of the kids who live here come to this club at night. Just at night. And it's dark inside. A perfect place for festering shadows."

Sakura winced at the sound of the muffled music.

"Sure," Fai laughed, "Their music is, how shall we put this? A mess. But I think it's our biggest lead,"

Mokona nodded and hopped from Syaoran's head to Fai's shoulder, "Mokona can feel the feathers waves,"

"That's really great!" Fai laughed and began to lead the way inside. Sakura reached out for Syaoran's hand and let him lead her inside, blushing insanely.

Kurogane rolled his eyes and followed the party inside the grimy clubhouse. "Kids," he muttered.

**5**

Kurogane stayed as close as he could so he would be in safe distance from all of the members of his surrogate family in case something happened. The music pounded against the walls and his head. He hadn't even made a full recovery yet. Pain still twisted around his nerves and all he could wonder was if Fai felt the same.

Syaoran and Sakura were still practically conjoined, mumbling 'excuse me's to anyone who got in their way and dodging the fighters and the dancers with scared, yet amusing expressions. Kurogane then searched for Fai who was immersed in idle chatter with whoever he could find, no doubt asking around for any information.

"You find anything out?" Kurogane muttered as he walked past Fai.

"No, nobody has heard anything about a strangely decorated feather. They said sometimes birds and things leave stuff up in the rafters," Fai explained.

Kurogane glanced upwards to the ceiling of the ancient warehouse and sighed, "Keep looking," he muttered and placed a hand on his shoulder as he left.

"Mokona, do you sense anything?" Fai murmured to Mokona who sat on Fai's shoulder.

Mokona closed it's eyes firmly and pointed towards the front of the stage, "I can sense it there,"

Fai nodded and made his way to the front, apologizing to whoever cursed him as he bumped into several groups of friends. Clubs were a tough business, Fai decided.

The stage was littered with discarded food and drinks containers and broken accessories and shards of glass and there was a strange stack from which the music pounded out of. Fai sighed and looked at Mokona for help.

Mokona nodded and looked around the stage in confusion, "Mokona cannot see the feather,"

"Neither can I," Fai contributed, "Lets just keep looking,"

"Maybe you should get up there," came a rough voice from Fai's left.

"Oh no," Fai laughed lightheartedly, "I'm sure someone else would have a lot more fun up there than me,"

"But if you're looking for something," came an equally gruff voice from the right.

Fai smiled at the two teenagers, "Why don't you guys go up there, I'm sure everyone would rather see you two making wonderful entertainment than me,"

The one on the right raised an eyebrow, "Are you making fun of us?"

"Of course not," Fai waved a hand in the boy's face, "I'm just-"

"Fai!" Mokona exclaimed, "Maybe the waves are coming from _underneath_ the stage!"

"What the hell is that?" one of the boys shouted, jabbing a chubby finger at Mokona's stomach.

"Mokona is Mokona!" Fai and Mokona chorused in unison before ducking to the grimy floor and under the ragged curtain.

Fai patted Mokona on the head fondly, "Now what, Mokona?"

"Let's keep looking," Mokona smiled.

Fai shuffled around so he could get further underneath, but even crouching, his head kept bumping off the stage floor. The floor was dirty and dusty, and there was nohing in sight that looked like Sakura's fether. Fai sighed.

"Maybe it isn't here, Mokona,"

Mokona shook its head and Fai kept shuffling along until his knee hit something hard and metallic.

"A trapdoor," he breathed and Mokona giggled, hopping from Fai's shoulder and pulling on the iron ring with a sense of cute determination.

The hinges were rusty and old and the door only opened a little from half way before being blocked by the stage floor above them.

"Can Fai fit?" Mokona asked as Fai contemplated the small gap.

"I think so." Fai murmured, slipping his body through the hole and finding balance on what was probably the rung of a ladder. "I hope it doesn't shut on us," Fai said as he and Mokona climbed down the ladder, "Or at least, Kuro-rinta saw where we were going,"

-

-

The room was stuffy and dark and had a musty scent that reminded Fai of vintage perfumes and aroma therapy oils. There was marroon velvet everywhere. Draped across the walls like curtains and from the ceiling like heavy streamers. Mounds of period clothing and fancy hats and wigs cluttered the floor and antique dressing tables and in the corner of the room was a very old looking wardrobe with an intricate design carved along the edges. Fai made a whistling noise.

"Looks like this place was probably a theatre or opera house back in the day," he said as Mokona explored the many overflowing trunks.

"It's here," Mokona insisted, "Mokona can feel it,"

Fai nodded and brushed a velvet curtain away from the walls. They were still made of glass and they were still smooth and unbroken. But a darkness surrounded that made them seem eerily opaque. Fai let the curtain fall.

"What about in here?" Fai ran a hand along the patterned wardrobe.

Mokona's eyes became wide and dark. "That's it Fai!"

Fai opened the doors and a shimmering glow poured into the room immediately.

"This all makes sense!" Fai exclaimed, "With the feather nestling down here, the shadows were drawn to it through the floor of the club where they were simply hanging over their owners."

Mokona giggled and handed the feather to Fai, "You take it,"

"Syaoran will be so-"

Suddenly, the walls didn't seem so opaque anymore. the darkness behind them had vanished and Fai could see all the old rooms behind them.

"Something's not right," he said, holding Mokona close, "What was behind those walls? Where has it gone?"

A scream. A muffled, terrifying scream.

"Shadows!" Fai exclaimed, "They must have realized they're going to disappear and are trying to latch back on to their owners! But they can't do that once they've become apart!"

Fai placed the feather carefully in his pocket and climbed back up the ladder, flinging the trap door open and struggling through the gap.

-

-

Kurogane couldn't even see what he was striking at. He could sense them all around. Such panic, frustration and anger, but he could not see their actual form. The people were in a frenzy, pouring out the doors and striking in front of them as if they had gone mad. Kurogane looked around and glared. Where was the stupid mage?

Syaoran and Sakura tried calming people down, but everyone was too busy running from the warehouse, trying to get away from whatever was hurting them.

"Sakura-chan!" Fai's thin, white-covered arm hung high above the crowd.

"Fai-san?" Sakura called back, running through the rabble to get to him.

"For you," he smiled and produced a single, delicate feather.

"Take it, Sakura-hime," Syaoran urged, "Take it and the shadows will disappear,"

Sakura nodded and let the feather absorb into her form, and as if by tradition, lapsed into a steady sleep.

Mokona rose into the air and opened it's mouth wide.

Kurogane threw Sakura gently over his shoulder and let Fai grab hold of his free hand. Fai then grabbed Syaoran's arm as the magic circle began to glow and the air began to pick up speed all in his attempt to 'keep the group together'.

The warehouse faded and beacons of light hit their eyes as they flew through somewhere that they could see and yet couldn't at the same time.

"No! That shouldn't-"

All five pairs of eyes snapped open and their bodies jerked and began to fall. They had hit a boundary.

Something had gone very wrong.


	7. VII Underground

**Compel Your Black Eyes**

**Take 7 - Underground**

**1**

Sakura stirred and held out a hand, the sinking feelings and liquid air enveloping her reaching arm.

"D-Don't!" Syaoran gasped painfully, trudging through the mess as best as he could, but it was almost as if she had stopped listening.

Fai tried to reach a part of solid ground but no matter how close it seemed, floor just seemed to move further and further away and that bothered him greatly. Kurogane stood silently, taking in the strangest of all possible surroundings. The sight of substance and yet nothing. The air was heavy yet weightless and completely blank yet harmonising vivid colours.

"Where the hell are we?" he asked, staring at the contemplating Sakura; who still reached out towards the crooked spaces.

Fai shook his head, trying to crane forward his neck. This place was definitely strange; yet something about it was oddly familiar.

"Don't you see it, Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked plainly, he dimming eyes staring nowhere in particular, "I can see a door,"

Syaoran kept his clutch firmly around Sakura's shoulders, whatever it was that she could see, he certainly couldn't.

Fai blinked, walking, or almost, _drifting _forwards to where Sakura pointed her finger and then smiled. He could definitely see it. An old-looking door. Wooden and carved elegantly yet barricaded fully with so many chains and locks and straps that it looked almost impossible to get it.

"I see it, Sakura-chan," Fai noted, almost mesmerised by the seemingly floating door, "But can you see it has no door handle?"

Sakura nodded to Fai, leaving Syaoran and Kurogane completely mystified.

"What the hell are we meant to be looking at?" Kurogane muttered darkly.

"It's almost like a door," Fai explained to Syaoran and Kurogane, "A huge heavily sealed door with no handle nor frame."

Kurogane and Syaoran comprehended Fai with blank expressions and Sakura merely eyed the door with great measurement; uttering to herself quitely. Fai turned, "I don't know whether you should get close to it, Sakura-chan."

"Wh-" Syaoran began, trying his best to follow Sakura's trail.

"I think," Sakura called back to them, her hand looking tiny against the great wood surface, "I think I can get it to open!"

Fai made a whistling sound and grabbed onto Kurogane's arm, pulling him towards the children.

"But how do we know where it leads?" Kurogane asked angrily, "It could lead anywhere, especially in a completely mind-numbing place like this one,"

Sakura shook her head, "I can hear things," she said delicately, her tone slightly distant, "I can hear people and wind- and where's Moko-chan?"

Fai, Kurogane and Syaoran were taken aback by the urgency in her last statement and the four of them instantly looked around the empty shell the were apparently trapped in; but not one of them could locate their little white friend.

"I see," Fai said slowly, "You know, this may sound crazy, but I think we may be caught in the movement between two worlds."

"What does that mean?" Kurogane snapped, becoming agitated at the lack of sense any of this was making to him, "That we've become stuck?"

"I think so," Fai smiled calmly, "I think that between the shift of two worlds, we've become trapped."

"But why?" Syaoran asked, "I though Mokona could take us to any world out there. Why are we caught between the shift?"

Fai brought a finger to his lip and pondered as Sakura turned her attention to the door, placing her head against it to hear what was behind.

"You know, there could be ancient magic about that can seal off worlds from the others. It would take a very powerful person to know about it and of course, put the spell in motion, but I'm sure such magic could possibly exist, although, I'm surprised that someone would go through the trouble of stopping dimension travellers, I mean, how many can there possibly be? What could they possibly be hiding or keeping safe?"

"What was that Kuro-rin?" Fai asked, turning his head lightly towards Kurogane.

"There _are _sealed worlds. That witch told me about them." Kurogane answered.

Fai blinked in surprise and then smiled, "Oh dear," he laughed, "Then if Yuuko-san can't break through these sealed boundaries, I shudder to think of our chances."

Kurogane narrowed his eyebrows, "This isn't a game. This is serious. We could be stuck here."

"Have a little faith, eh, Kuro-tan?" Fai smiled, his blue eyes twinkling something knowing.

"A little faith in what? Being digested through the white pork bun? I don't think so." Kurogane grumbled.

Fai shook his head and grinned, surveying his hand to Sakura.

Sakura still had her head pressed against the door with Syaoran watching over her with an awkward and worried stare. Her eyes were closed, but she was still awake; whispering something incoherent through the wooden slab and clinging chains. Kurogane raised an eyebrow. He had seen her pull something like this before. Without warning, she suddenly moved her palm gently to the door and circled it smoothly across the sealed timber; giving a simple smile and word of thanks.

"We can pass through, everyone," she beamed at them happily, "Door-san here says that if we have something important to do then he can definitely not get in our way!"

Fai laughed and strode forwards breezily, "It's that luck of yours, Sakura-chan," he said fondly, "I always knew you could do it."

**2**

The doors swung open quite gracefully for such a heavy and shapely set of wood; emerging the group in a mixture of prickling heat and glaring sun.

There wasn't even a sound that symbolised that they'd shut behind them and before they all had even blinked, they were once again in another new world, Mokona at their side once more.

"It's hot," Syaoran noted what everyone had been thinking. It was hot. Almost unbearably hot; and the pounding brightness above made situations no better.

It was almost like the world itself were fire. The ground was desert-like; littered completely with mounds of sand and dusty lingering pathways, all completely crimson red and radiating the ground's own heat. The sky was a canvas of flame-like shades, brilliant reds and clouds of orange and yellows, all nowhere near eclipsing the huge mass of sun and the glowing trails of sunbeams that ripped through it. The desert town was dark and the houses were jaggedly sewn around a strangely symmetrical crossroad and the relaxing trudging of hard-working wagons echoed underneath the practically Halloween sky.

"I smell orchids." Fai breathed.

"_You smell orchids_," Kurogane repeated as he tugged violently on the ties of his outer clothes. "We're all practically melting from the sudden rush of unbearable heat and all you can say is that '_you smell orchids_'?!"

"But they smell so nice, Kuro-mun! Lets pick some!" Fai smiled, raising his arms above his head in a child-like fashion.

"No." Kurogane said bluntly, and went on to remove as many layers of his blackened clothing as he could to stay cool, yet, all the while, decent.

Sakura dipped into the shady pools of shadow conjured by the tall palm like trees and Fai did the same. The village was so small that the entirety of it could be seen right from the top of the hill they were all lounging on. It was one of many hills, with a surrounding of rusted iron-like fencing. But as the other three gazed on at the village, Syaoran and Kurogane were more captivated by the blood-tinged sand.

"The ground is strange," Syaoran said, noticing the hover of sand particles that jolted up every one in a while.

"Vibrations," Kurogane noted, crouching down for a better look, "Almost like, something is coming,"

"Yet it's different," Fai offered, walking over, "It's more like a solid steady movement,"

"No," Kurogane corrected, "It's not caused by movement. Vibrations like these are caused by different waves."

Fai and Syaoran showed Kurogane a blank.

"Sound waves. Movements caused by sound." Kurogane explained, irritably.

"But sound waves wouldn't cause this much movement without the sound being heard." Fai stated.

"What about invisible sounds?" Syaoran asked, "Some animal cries, for example, can be extremely loud but not heard by other animals' ears-"

Suddenly and steadily, the sand-covered ground began to shake harder, the rocks began to thud and shake and the trees swayed violently. There was something wrong and the village made no attempt to cover that up. Shouts and screams automatically began and then were quickly hushed as mothers carried their children inside and men untied the frightened horses and dragged them desperately to the stables. Some began to run. A wooden tower with thin, twig-like beams stood not too far from the crossroad. It was short for a tower yet still people were climbing up it as if it were a bet on their life whether they could make it to the top or not.

As the thudding continued, the air began to dull. Thickened black clouds began to mix in with the storming blood-red sky and create a darkened whip of a horizon that darkened and cooled the whole surrounding of the village.

"It's underground," Kurogane snapped to his three other companions, turning round from where he and Fai stood in front, weapon drawn, "There's something living underground."

"And they're hiding," Fai said sadly, empty blue eyes resting upon the locked houses of the scared community.

"Or getting up high," Kurogane pointed to the wooden tower, "We have to try and do the same,"

Sakura pointed into the east, Syaoran's cloak, which was wrapped around her, fluttering gracefully in the warm breeze, "There are taller hills over there,"

Fai inspected the hills, which were actually more like darkened mountains or filled-in volcanoes. It was true they were higher, and, since the villagers seemed so terrified, they were probably more far away from the hidden danger.

"Let's-"

**3**

But Fai's words had fallen dead on his lips, and the ground had opened up like a grasping claw, sand and desert-like dirt cascading everywhere like a splatter of blood and grime. The trees ripped and then the hill was split from underneath and Fai was on the floor, tasting blood and burning in his mouth and seeing nothing but overcooked skylines and mud. There was sound going on around him, he could see the waves rippling the air, but silently caught in some sort of vacuum, there was shouting and the sharp clang of metal. Weapons, Fai concluded, which probably belonged to Syaoran or Kurogane or even some brave villagers who'd come to fight. Fai ought to help too. He needed to help, and yet, he was being held down. Forced down, actually, and forced to stare at an empty sky, with a pounding head and dread-filled unknowing of what was going on behind from where he fell. Fai looked down and saw he was actually pierced to the ground by a crooked row of iron fencing around him like a cage, a sharp part skewering his body so it was compressed against the torn earth.

Fai blinked and groaned and then reached out to pull, cradling his wounds in torn clothing.

And then he stood, his frame almost crumpled, blood trickling from both the edge of his mouth and along the lines of his ribcage and hips.

And then he turned; facing chaos.

**4**

Fai saw what seemed to be two dragons. Bloated and lizard-like, these weren't the elegant creatures he'd seen in books and lands, these were heavy creatures with ugly features; glassy, yellow eyes and thick, needle-like teeth dripping saliva and blood, emitting steam-glazed licks of fire from their upturned snouts and throats. They moved quickly, horned heads and horned tails swishing violently like swinging axes and large talon-like claws ripping holes in the ground and into the army of people that had miraculously swarmed the hill. Fai swallowed and regained calmness at the sight. The men fighting off the two creatures were in uniforms of red; they had to be some sort of troop or army. But Fai couldn't see anyone else yet.

Until, from the right, a sickly slurp indicated Fai wasn't alone. The mage turned again to the left, where more of the creatures plagued into the village; houses caved inwards with their picket roofs in disarray and stained with blood. And there were Syaoran and Kurogane. Syaoran fighting hesitantly, his eyes always averting to where he must have hidden the princess. Kurogane plunging in fearlessly, but his eyes were also averted, piercing up into Fai's own with a definite glimmer of relief.

Fai ran downwards to the village, dodging the swoops of horns and missing the fire spurts. But he had no weapon and wouldn't last for very long.

"The princess!" Kurogane yelled at him fiercely, "Get to where she is,"

Fai hesitated. Syaoran and Kurogane needed help, especially with Kurogane being weakened from the lightning blast, but Fai had to see sense. With no magic, and with no weapon, the dragons would kill him instantly. Sakura would need him anyway, and with a nod, he followed Syaoran's pointed finger to the wooden tower. Thankfully, the army were holding off most of the dragons at the hilltop, letting most of the villagers hide in safety or watch desperately from the tower. Fai saw Sakura instantly, her hands clasped to her chest and her foot out defiantly, as if she were to run out into the turmoil at any moment.

"Sakura-chan." Fai clasped the princess's shoulder protectively and pulled her back.

"Fai-san," Sakura breathed worriedly, "What should we do?"

Fai looked up to the battle that went on before them and shook his head. He didn't know. But he did know that Syaoran had to stop looking back at Sakura, for each time he did, the dragon lunged for him until he could dodge with only a near-miss. And Sakura twitched forwards each time this happened.

Then, up on the hill, another dragon crawled up through from underground, it's body convulsing from side to side and it's scales gleaming with a dirty shine. Even though smaller than the others, the dragon struck up from behind the troop and swiped at them viciously, before heading down towards the village houses. Fai felt Sakura's shoulder tense and she felt his grip, in turn, tighten.

The small dragon was fast and the colour of the sky. Kurogane turned, but he couldn't meet it alone, and Syaoran was suddenly caught between the two dragons. Kurogane was yelling something, Fai didn't know what because everything after that moment happened so quickly. The two dragons lurched forwards at Syaoran and another two men and Sakura had darted forwards and out of Fai's reach down the path of the crossroads, with Fai closely following her. But Syaoran saw her running too, and, as fast as he possibly could, slid underneath the two monsters and up towards her; towards the center of the crossroads. Fai caught up and grabbed Sakura by the hand, but it was too late to turn back - the amount of dragons had multiplied and now one stood on every pathway, snarling and breathing the scent of dead flesh and burnt stone. Fai breathed in and clutched Sakura close to him as Syaoran began to hold up his sword.

**5**

Kurogane looked to the crossroads and ran. Four of those monsters were closing in and Syaoran couldn't defeat them all by himself. Kurogane jumped up onto the tail of the purple-scaled dragon and went on to run across it's thickly skinned back. He dug in his sword as he ran and the creature silently roared, sending pulsing sound waves through the sky, and Kurogane pushed down further into the ridges of the creature, eventually sliding down it's creaking neck to meet his companions at the crossroads.

But the dragon wasn't dead and he saw it in all of their eyes, but before he could raise his sullied sword again, Kurogane stepped back, his body half turned and felt the sharp stab of the dragon's horn slice across his eyes. Kurogane stumbled and reached for his Souhi, but everything he could see was invisible to the scarlet opacity that filled his vision. Blood washed over his eyes and blinded him from all around, and he wiped violently at them but it kept pouring from his face like a rusted fountain.

And suddenly, Fai could hear. Fai heard the screams of the people and the harsh cries from the army officials. He heard the rumbling of charred clouds and the grinding of the dragon's horns and claws. And he heard Sakura breathing and Syaoran fighting and Kurogane muttering painfully, rubbing hard at his wounded face, making the blood flow and flow. And suddenly, Fai's head was clear, and his stomach didn't hurt so much, and so, he stood up to his full height and breathed in the fire-tainted air.

And then suddenly, Kurogane let his senses take full control of his body.

**6**

Fai awoke to a dry, orange sky pulsating through the whitened windowpane. He was bandaged in brown parchment-like material, soaked in red stains and smelling of antiseptics and bitter vinegar.

It was the third day Fai had woken up to this, and it was also the third day that Kurogane hadn't woken up. Fai glanced across at the man who lay in the infirmary bed next to him. The only bed that wasn't empty and the only person who hadn't healed. Fai swallowed and kneeled down at the man's bedside, eagerly wanting to see his face but again being disappointed and strangely startled by the bandages that hid it.

And instead of the last two days where he'd left the room as soon as he could, unable to look at Kurogane, Fai could think of nothing better to do than talk.

"You know, I'm beginning to think that healing is natural for human beings. I always used to focus on the pain, but now that I know of the clarifying healing and the relief and the _knowing_ that eventually you'll be okay? I find myself thinking 'Isn't that a better feeling to focus on?' I'm such a coward. I'm such a coward. I ran away from my pain all the time. I never once stopped to think that maybe I'd recover from it. A-and now? I've recovered from a disease that was killing me, decaying me completely till my insides were blackened and dead. Yet, I lived through that. And then, I even cure you of a curse that was tearing _you_ up inside! We were hit by lightning, struck down, again, and that pain and blinding light was too much to bear. But, then, you lived through it. And I was okay. Can you believe it? I was okay. You know what I was starting to think?" Kurogane's blood flaked into Fai's hair, his hand finding it's way to the magician's shoulder, "I was actually beginning to think I had a chance at living. If Ashura-ou came after me, and there was any hurt, I actually began to think, in the end, things _might_ be okay, for him and for me. How stupid is that? To think it would be all okay. Because its _not_. That'll be the end. Only, now, it feels like this is the end. Don't you-" he broke off.

"Everything heals after time. You just need someone to keep telling you things will be okay," Kurogane's voice was distant and blunt.

Fai raised his head, the orange light reflecting from the glow in his hair to Kurogane's bloodied eyes.

"I know," Fai whispered, "That's why I need to start saving myself."

**7**

"Will you... will you be blind?" Fai's voice sounded stupidly guilty and quiet.

"No. My vision will just be blurred for a little while, that's all" Kurogane replied.

Then the coldness of Fai's touch surrounds him.

"And you?" Kurogane snaps, "What about you?"

"I got bandaged up. I'm antiseptic. And I'm fine!" Fai smiled.

Kurogane could still see the fake smiles through blurred vision and suddenly he wished he were still sleeping.

"And the kid?" Kurogane asks.

"Sakura got her feather," Fai explains, "But we're staying a few days more till we're all okay-"

"We'll heal," Kurogane pushed Fai away.

"Yeah," Fai finally echoed hollowly, "We'll heal."


	8. Epilogue Sunbeam

**Compel Your Black Eyes**

**Epilogue - Sunbeam**

Fai walked past the drawn curtains lazily, not even bothering to look at them. Seeing more rain would just dampen his mood some more. But then, something caught his appeal. For from a tiny slit between the two curtains, the golden glow of a sunbeam trailed delicately into the room and lay like a shining glimmer of summery hope on the carpet about an inch away from Fai's toes.

Within the next few minutes, all the curtains were drawn, and Fai was dressed.

"Come on!" Fai strung his words together excitedly, "Why are you walking so slowly? For once, it's actually sunny! Look up at that sky and tell me you don't want to run around under it!"

Kurogane rubbed the back of his neck, sleepily, "Wasn't it _you_ who said to relax and take in the surroundings?"

Fai pondered this for a moment, "Never mind that!" he laughed, looking straight out at the golden-doused horizon, "You know, we'll be left behind if you go any slower! The world will just keep on turning and turning!"

Kurogane flickered his eyes to Fai. The sun was once again reflecting on the surface of Fai's blond head, making his whole being seem to glow as he stood, waiting impatiently for Kurogane and talking of the world leaving the two of them behind. Kurogane suddenly reached out and grabbed Fai's skinny wrist pulling them both down onto the grass, and with a rare smirk, he uttered something, _almost _affectionately;

"Then let it."


End file.
